Tidal Force
by Ruka9
Summary: The moon hovering high over the ocean tides, a Berserk wolf stands over the defenseless water bearer ready to test just how elementally oriented the heartless Organization really is, all to satisfy the hungry need for fun their sadistic leader can never seem to fill up on. The moon's high in charge now, who will it claim tonight? M for blood shed.
1. Acquisition

A spiraling staircase carrying those daring up the highest tower in the Castle That Never Was to the lone hallway leading to the single room located in solitary there. Only one ever dared travel up the curling stairs; the seventh member of the heartless Organization, Saix.

He paused on his way down the silent hall to look out one of the arched windows at the glimmering heart moon hovering high over their bleak world; Kingdom Hearts. One day, all their efforts will restore what once was lost.

He returned to his track down the dark hall till he reached two double doors closed to form their Nobody insignia. He knocked thrice and waited in the effervescent echoes of the knocks.

"Who dares disturb me?" A harsh voice asked from within the room.

"Saix, Superior. I bring the information you requested." Saix answered.

"Ah, finally. Enter." The doors opened on their own allowing entrance to the seventh Nobody.

The room was as dark as the very entity that kept the Nobodies alive. Only candles lined up around the walls made the interior visible. Without saying, the room was larger than any other bedroom in the Castle, nearly four times as large. But only the farthest left corner, up some stairs of a patch of raised ground, was there an actual bedroom set. The rest of the room was an office, library, even a trophy room where rare prizes were neatly displayed behind glass cases.

Behind the doors in the middle of the room rested a long oak desk on an elevated platform. The platform was necessary so that whenever some brave Nobody decided it was smart to interrupt their Superior they would always have to look up at him. Said Superior sat behind that desk then, erect and hands folded neatly on top of his paperwork.

"Superior." Saix addressed his leader, bowing his head in respect.

"Saix." Xemnas replied calmly. With others he was formal and used rank to address them, but with Saix things were different. "What do you have for me?"

"They've finally returned. They don't seem to be harmed, except for Eleven. He won't be able to use his abilities for some time." Saix started.

"I see. The botanists worked more thorough than anticipated. But aside from that, any advances?" Xemnas leaned back in his large, black, plush swivel chair.

"Before Eleven lost his abilities we discovered he can both revive dead or dying flora and also bring them to life in the sense of giving them mobile life. He currently has a Venus Fly Trap he brought to life from Deep Jungle."

"Living plants that can think for themselves. Could be useful. And Eight?"

"His control over multiple fire points has increased. His current top number is twenty four."

"A perfect way to destroy as fast as possible. And of Nine?"

"No progress."

"What?" Xemnas dropped his folded hands in favor of slapping them down in shock on his desk. "What do you mean no progress?"

"Nine stands the same. No new ability used or approved upon." Saix said. Though he kept a calm tone he didn't particularly enjoy the way Xemnas' orange eyes narrowed in a malevolent way he knew all too well meant coming rage.

"Why am I not surprised? We set up a perfect situation so the thee of them would easily walk in to that lab and gain a simple boost for this Organization but of course, the only one to fail the untold mission was that worthless water nymph." Xemnas growled and thumped his back against his chair with arms folded across his chest like an upset stubborn child.

"If he's so useless, why not just terminate him now?" Saix asked.

"Because." Xemnas turned so his chair's back was to Saix mainly so he could scowl in peace. "His control over water is something we cannot loose. Though sometimes I wish you had killed him back when you first found him cowering in that alley. I just wish the water hadn't chosen someone who only sits on his arse playing a useless instrument all day." Xemnas sighed deeply and pinched the brim of his nose hoping to stop the oncoming ache he knew the pounding in his head meant.

"Superior, are you well?"

"Oh sure, I'm fine. Migraines are very joyous moments to celebrate you imprudent mutt!" Xemnas snapped. The pounding in his head grew worse with his own shout as the rims of his vision stained with shades of black. His anger was no aide to the nauseating migraine assaulting him.

"Forgive me, Superior…" Saix said in a low, light tone. By the way he held his hands behind his back and stood with a slight hunch, head lowered and eyes to the ground, he really seemed like a dog that had just been scolded by its master; all he was missing was the tail tucked between his thighs and ears bent back in submission. The silence continued between the two Nobodies until Xemnas took a deep, slow inhale.

"Saix." Xemnas held up a hand. "Come here." He needed his medicine.

Saix slowly approached his vindictive leader and climbed the platform's stairs till he stood next to the open hand. "Superior?"

Xemnas snapped his arm out to grab the long blue locks hanging down the sides of his devoted follower's pale face. Saix growled due to his defensive instincts but he dared not act out any further as he was forced down to his knees next to Xemnas. Keeping his expressionless look forward Xemnas pulled on the hair in his grip as far up and back as Saix's neck would allow. The blue wolf remained silent, only grinding his teeth together to withstand the pain; he was used to this treatment. Finally, Xemnas released him with a sigh, this one soft, relaxed.

"I remember the fist the first time I did that to you; the grunts of pain that seeped through your fangs. It was amusing, but I do enjoy this new thrill of trying to coax that voice from you again. Don't you?" Xemnas asked as he leaned in his chair, arm propped on the arm rest and chin nuzzled on his palm.

"Mm…" Saix responded as he cracked his stiff neck. Xemnas placed the same hand that had grabbed him so harshly a top of his head.

"Our times together, Saix, are such stress relievers from the toils the rest of our barbaric Organization causes." Xemnas closed his eyes so that all his senses were directed towards the feeling of the soft blue hair slipping through his fingers as he pat his devoted pet.

Saix, too, closed his eyes so he could better relax to the familiar sensation combing through his hair.

The relationship between the two was, unique. Out in the eyes of their heartless brethren the two retained their emotionless, cold state that defines that of a true Nobody. But in closed quarters their mood took a turn, their relationship taking on a sadistic taste that easily flips to a state of relaxation, all in control of Xemnas' unpredictable whim. Saix really had no choice but to go along with it. As much as some of their times together grew uncomfortably odd, he did, however, enjoy the more calm moments; less pain that way.

Just how did they end up in such an intimate swing of things? Well, their time of nostalgia will have its own moment. The two were too far in to their own state of minds to remember such a trifle moment of their past. Though sometimes their conscious did dare to show them, remind them "This was your past. You can't run from it".

But currently their mind was at peace.

A grandfather's clock chimes of eight interrupted their peaceful silence.

"Superior, I need to go." Saix was the first to speak.

"Hm?" The silver haired leaded looked down at the blue wolf who had, at some point deep in his silent state, rested his rounded chin on the arm of the chair. "Oh, it's that time of month again, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so." Saix sighed softly. He was relaxed, as odd as it was for him to think it, and really disliked the idea of moving. "The full moon will be at its peak in around an hour."

"What's it like, Saix to be so deeply elementally oriented?" Xemnas asked. He wasn't asking as a question, more as a rhetorical statement.

"Your element guides you as well." Saix replied.

"I control the darkness. I've never felt what you or the others have. When their own element comes against them, uses them in a heated passion only to be deposited short after once their use is complete and the element satisfied."

"It's not a pleasant experience, Superior, as I've mentioned every month. I can harbor the moon's energy but the moon can harvest mine as well during this time. That's why I must leave or else-"

"I know." Xemnas interrupted. "Your overpowered Berserker mode that takes over will destroy everything. Repetitiveness gets boring you know." Xemnas sighed. "If only Nine were this easy to overpower."

"Tch. Water isn't a controlling force; it's a force to control. That's why the moon creates the tides. If you think about it," Saix tilted his head as a thought occurred to him. "I assume that's why Nine is more frightened of me than others are." Saix shrugged. "Or he's that much of a coward."

Xemnas sat straight, a grin creeping on his sharp face. "Saix, you just gave me a brilliant idea."

"I did?" Saix wasn't sure how.

"The moon controls the tides. You are the moon, he is the manipulative shore. He's already displaying your dominance over him by his fear." Xemnas started.

"Yes... and?"

"Who's to say that you can't fully gain control over him?"

"Superior, I don't think that's possible..."

"Maybe not before, but now. When you're at your elemental strongest."

"Superior..."

"Think about it." Xemnas turned in his chair to hold Saix's face between his palms. "If you come in to contact with him right at your peak, maybe bite him or something, I don't know, some way to infect him with the power of the moon it could awaken within him an elemental bond never touched, never thought of. One you will dominate over. One I can control and actually use to find an ounce of use in him. The idea of it, it could work."

"I'm not a werewolf." Saix responded now eye to eye with wide excited eyes glimmering with excite. Xemnas' ecstasy grew in his speech in a bubbling aura that he hadn't felt his body shift till his and Saix's noses touched. "I can't just bite him and turn him into what I am." Saix continued.

"Did I say you were a werewolf?" Xemnas glared and pressed his nails to Saix's cheeks so he could pull them. "No. I said you have to unlock the elemental bond he has with you that we haven't even considered to be possible. If it requires a bite then that's just a coincidence."

"Superior... I think this idea is too farfetched..." Saix was on his back once his final words slipped past his lips. Xemnas sat on top of him keeping him pinned by the hands wound tightly around his throat.

"Are you denying me? Xemnas hissed, his orange eyes gaining a hint of black. "Are you denying me and my demands, my orders? Challenging me? Have you forgotten who is in charge of you? Or maybe," Xemnas tightened his grip and used it as a support as he slid his body down so his hips rested upon Saix's. "My pretty little pet here has forgotten why he's my pet and needs a reminder?"

"S-superior..." Saix gasped and held the arms catching his air flow. Kept his hips cemented to the tile floor. "Al-alright... I'll do it!"

Xemnas grinned darkly and released Saix. He marveled at the way Saix choked and shook for air under him. "There's the obedient pet I trained." Xemnas ran a hand through the panting wolf's hair in praise. He was starting to feel a thrill he hadn't felt in some time. Using Saix as an outlet for his desperate need to feel amusement was his favorite pass time, but maybe a new, fresh pet to experiment with would feed his need further.

"What... am I to do?" Saix asked when finally finding his breath.

"Good question." Xemnas leaned down, hands on either side of Saix's head, forehead pressed to his and long silver hair falling over to hide the wolf's face in a private curtained room for the two. "I'll send Eight and Nine on a mission tonight. You will follow them and once you feel yourself shifting take Nine and do what you must to pass on the moon's curse to him."

"But… even if it does work on him he most likely won't show any effects until the next full moon. The Hunter's Moon next month." Saix explained.

"Be that as it may. We'll wait as long as it takes till we figure out what works. We need to increase our Organization's power, and our fun."

"I... suppose so." Saix was still unsure about Xemnas' mad plan. Be he knew of the consequences of denying Xemnas a second time.

"Excellent. Oh, and return here when you're done."

"But I'll be a savage beast. I should go to the world safest and away from anything."

"Not these three days. I need to experience you as a full Berserker first hand again if we're going to be adding a new member to our little pack next month."

"I... if you're sure..."

"I'm always sure, when it comes to you." Xemnas whispered softly.

* * *

AN: Well here's one of the fics I said branched off from "Testing Nature". Not the one that really depends on it but just references it a tad. That other one will come after this one. So anyway, what do you think about my sadistic/masochist Xemnas? Back story: I had originally written this type of Xemnas for a friend who requested personalized fics from me (she gave me free will to personalize the characters as I felt) and well, I really enjoyed how that Xemnas turned out so I thought he deserved a come back. Hope I didn't weird anyone out. Oh, and if you liked the cover picture I drew for this fic feel free to say, or dis it, whichever helps me to improve my work for you. It is all about making you, the readers, happy. I hope you enjoy this new fic and what I have planned for it! Until next time!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I do own the cover image for I drew it and signed it. (Though it got cut out when editing the image. -.-)


	2. Subterfuge

Demyx gave a big, long yawn as he stretched his arms over his head. His mullet fell over his face in a heaped mess, a result from having been awoken so late in to the night for a sudden mission.

"Mmm… did Zexion say why we had to do this mission now?" Demyx asked as he rubbed the crust of sleep from his tired ocean blue eyes.

"Nope." Axel responded as he stopped Demyx from falling over a rock in his half asleep state. He was more put together than Demyx, being more of a night owl and having been up when Zexion appeared with the mission order anyway. "He just said Xemnas suspects that something important with the people here in Halloween Town was going to happen and we had to find out how to use it to the Organization's advantage."

"I'm sure we could have still done this in the morning…" Demyx yawned again. "These guys party all night anyway. I'm sleepy…"

"Well that's what you get for staying up all last night. Marly can't control plants but he can still walk, don't baby him." Axel scolded.

"Nnn… don't pester me… not in the mood-whoa!" Demyx had only shut his weary eyes for a slight moment of relief. But to do that while traversing through a cemetery well, trouble isn't far. He had fallen down an open grave but, lucky for him it was a freshly dug pit so the soft upturned soil at the base cushioned his fall.

"Demyx!" Axel peered down the grave with worry. "Demyx answer me!"

"Mmm… soft…" Demyx sighed in comfort in the sweet pillow feel of the dirt on his weary body.

"Really? Is your laziness that bad that you'd sleep in a grave?"

"Don't judge me." Demyx huffed.

"Are you planning on getting out of there?"

"Are you planning on carrying me the rest of the night?"

Axel shook his head. "Fine. I'll go have a productive night while you nap. Just don't go anywhere." Axel turned and continued his way out the cemetery while mumbling under his breath something about hiding Demyx's music sheets for making him go alone. Or just using him as a bench for a while. Something to get revenge that wouldn't end up with Marluxia strangling him.

"Don't plan to." Demyx sighed in satisfaction. He gathered more of the soft dirt in to a makeshift pillow and settled in to a steady slumber.

Little, though, did the two Nobodies notice was the pair of glowing yellow eyes that had been following them since they arrived at Halloween Town. These eyes blended well with the glittering floating fireflies emerging from the darkness. Now that Demyx was alone the eyes could escape the shadows.

A shovel dug in to the ground further sinking in as it supported the weight leaning upon it. Saix looked down at the young Nobody sleeping peacefully in his grave. "He allows himself to fall vulnerable so easily." Saix muttered to himself. "It'll almost make this hunt to easy." Saix looked back to the large, white, shining moon looming over him. "Not much longer now." A soft breeze passed through the graves that combed through his hair in a gentle wisp. He could feel the moon taking a stronger hold on him the later the night grew. The hypnotic pull of the moon he could not resist. He touched the sharp fangs protruding from beneath his lips. "Not much longer." He repeated but this time as a low growl. He turned back to stare at his sleeping prey with deep hunger.

...

Axel continued his survey alone around the town square of the currently quiet town. Not really sure what he expected to see from something that supposedly was to "use to the Organization's advantage". He looked in to a window of a seemingly abandoned home only to yelp at the spider web net clinging to his face. "Ow! Okay sorry sorry!" He apologized to an upset black widow waving one of her small fists angrily at him and speaking only audible squeaks of curses. "This town." Axel snorted as he burned the web from his face.

He made his way to the green water fountain in the middle of the square. "I think Zexion tricked us. There's absolutely nothing going on." He sat on the fountain edge with a sigh. "But then again, I could just not be looking hard enough, is what the bookworm would say. Right?" The raven pecking around his feet shrugged and continued scavenging. Axel shook his head and rested his head down between his hands. "Maybe if I just sit here something will happen."

A high pitched gong sounded throughout the town. The raven cawed loudly and fled to join his kind in a fleeing cloud towards the cemetery. The town's clock tower was signaling the current hour; 9:00 p.m. Nine steady gongs then silence again. "Maybe I should have gone and slept like Demyx..."

...

The first gong: he stood straight.

The second gong: his canines extended to their sharpest length, longer and deadlier than his other sharpened teeth.

The third gong: his eyes held wide.

The fourth gong: his hair grew shaggy, longer, now falling down his back.

The fifth gong: his ears extended. A longer, sharper elf like form than normal. More aerodynamic and with better range.

The sixth gong: his arms trembled, his hands splayed open.

The seventh gong: his sharp curved black nails teared free from his gloves.

The eighth gong: he was hunched over, tearing in to his own hair with those piercing nails, his entire being trembling.

The ninth gong: he roared. His eyes were a bright glowing yellow. Head leaned back up at the moon, he holds his arms open, eager to accept its offering.

Saix's mind was still his own, barely. He needed to act quickly before his mind joined his body's beastly form. He leapt down in the grave landing over Demyx on all fours. He was snarling, baring his teeth over the oblivious sleeping Nobody. His true mind was hesitant. His beast mind was hungry. He leaned closer to the fresh flesh below him parting his toothy gape. Sticky drool slipped from his tongue to Demyx's cheek.

Demyx groaned and wiped at the disturbance touching his cheek. He awoke at the thick slime he felt spread across his face. Saix snarled seeing his prey stir. Demyx froze. He felt the hot breathes puff against him; the low, rough snarled breathing. He turned and gasped at the set of fangs inches from his face. On his back he rolled and scurried away frantically from the hulking beast. He had never seen Saix in his full berserker form so, mixed in with the shrouds of darkness the grave held, Saix could have been some beast of Halloween Town seeking an easy meal.

Demyx's head hit the dirt wall of the grave. He was confined with the hungry beast. Dirt flew when Saix pounced with nails out to pierce the soft tender flesh of the water bearer and his blue mane capping behind him. But the young Nobody ducked under the blue wolf in time to allow him to slam against the wall and sink his nails deep in to the dirt.

Demyx took advantage of the struggling stuck monster to use him as a step out the grave. The thrashing beast was enough to get his face over the top, but he still had to pull the rest of his body free. An upturned root would do the trick. Kicking the wall, struggling to hurry, he was almost out.

"Gah!" A sharp slicing to his back. His skin tore easily around the nails digging in to his back. Blood seeped out to stain the torn fabric hanging from him, sticking to him now. Demyx ground his teeth and lost some of his footing but held on for his life. Saix pitted his other set of claws in Demyx's stomach.

"Hck!" His gut was on fire. His grip faltered some allowing Saix to tug him back to the pit some. "H-help..." No one was around. He had to save himself. He concentrated trying his hardest to ignore to nails piercing him and the snarling below. With a deep inhale he summoned a water torrent. "Gaaah!" The torrent freed him from the beast's hold, by tearing the nails down his back and stomach. He couldn't hold the torrent under him and dropped himself in a muddy puddle outside the grave. He stood and ran quickly besides the stinging pain from the nails.

He heard the snarl. He knew the monster would appear soon.

Saix easily pulled himself from the grave. His mind was slipping fast, anger edging the beast on. He sniffed the blood caked over his nails and licked it slowly. He grined. The sweet taste was pleasing, addicting. Splashing mud in his wake he sprinted after his prey like a wolf, the thrill of the hunt starting within him great pleasure and lust.

The hard panting was right behind him. Demyx pusheed himself to run faster from the terrifying _click click click_ of nails on stone catching up to him. His blood dripped to the ground leaving an easy trail. Demyx could feel himself growing weaker with the more blood he lost but he continued onward.

Prey and hunter. The hunter fueled with a rampaging adrenaline. The prey weakened but fighting to remain. Saix snarled coming close once to taking down Demyx but with a quick water whip to the demon's face the water bearer bought himself more time.

Down a ledge and over a fence Demyx finally stopped behind an old building's corner to catch his breath; his throat burned with each deep gasp he took. As he gasped he looked from the corner. The town's square was just in sight and by the silence he must have lost the beast far back. He sighed with a hand on his stomach. "I should have gone with Axel..." he said to himself as he looked at the blood on his palm.

He felt the hot breaths against the nape of his neck before seeing the shadow cast over him. A low growl followed him as he slowly stood straight. On either side of him a clawed hand waited for his acknowledgement. He hadn't lost the beast at all. The beast had bested him.

He gulped.

...

Axel sat on the fountain bored, waiting for whatever it was they were supposed to be waiting for to happen.

"Aaahahaaa!" A shrill squeal haunted over the square. Axel jolted from his seat.

"Okay... was that what we were waiting for?"

There was another cry, this one catching with pain. A roar echoed with the scream. Axel followed the call of pain and panic slowly. Whoever had got themselves mauled to a point of emitting those piercing cries, Axel wasn't sure he was going to find much left of them.

The cries of anguish were beckoning him from behind a crumbling building. He followed it on keeping his hands ready to summon flames should the need arise.

"Gaha!" Another horrid squeal. He stopped before the corner, too on edge to turn to see. But the shadows playing on the opposite wall, thanks to a lantern, provided him a good idea of what was occurring.

A small frame was thrashed and smacked helplessly by a larger frame that easily overpowered it, clawed hands tearing at the defenseless prey. Small splatters of shadowed blood danced free with each plunge of those claws. The larger bulk finally pushed the bleeding flesh to the cobblestone ground with a thud and a grunt.

"No... please no more sto-ahh!"

Axel's eyes snapped wide. That voice layered with pain, he knew it.

Demyx was on his back gripping the arms of the hungry beast dominating him. His cloak was torn and sticking to his ripped body by means of his own dark blood seeping from his being. The assailant dug his nails deeper in the shoulders of the near dead sitarist summoning a soft pained gasp. Demyx held on tighter to the arms he clung to still trying to fight. Saix had him ready.

In one swoop his canines were digging in to the grove connecting shoulder to neck. Half lidded sea-green eyes snapped shut in anguish. The sound of soft meat tearing, blood spewing, Demyx screaming, Saix growling in lustful satisfaction, it was a nightmare scene from a horror film.

"I suggest you release that." Axel hissed, now standing over Saix with his hand ablaze. He, either, recognized Saix in the shadows of his beast form.

Saix growled back and bit harder, but this time only the sound of slicing flesh sounded. Demyx remained silent.

Emerald eyes burned bright. "That's it!" He craned a fire orb at Saix but he easily avoided the burning orb with a simple duck. With one last sickening bite Saix released the still body and ran off on all fours while dodging the fireballs aimed after him. "Demyx!" Axel fell to the floor quickly to scoop up his bleeding friend in his arms. "Demyx!" He wasn't responding. His eyes remained closed, mouth agape, body limp and bleeding. The bite to his neck dug deep past the layers of skin right to the muscle. Blood flowed endlessly from there, the punctures, everywhere. "Demyx…" Axel's lips trembled. Even with portals he wasn't sure if he could get Demyx to Vexen in time. "Demyx no…" Axel held his dear friend close, pressing his face to the bloody mullet.

"Is someone there?"

"Get away from us!" Axel held a flaming palm up while holding his dying friend tighter with the other.

"Your friend, he's injured."

"No duh! Get away now!"

"Well then." Jack Skellington folded his long boney arms in disapproval. "I was only going to offer help. If your friend there doesn't see help soon he'll surely die. And I should know, I am dead."

"I don't need anyone from this world touching him, got it!?" Axel snapped. He blamed the entire psychotic nightmare world for Demyx's demise. But he blamed himself more for having left him alone.

"If that's how you feel, I won't force you." Jack turned his back to Axel. "But if you change your mind, I'm sure Dr. Finkelstein wouldn't mind patching him up." Jack walked on several steps but stopped at the slight whisper calling him back.

"Wait… Dr.?" Axel asked quietly, calming his rage.

"Yes. He's very good at what he does." Jack answered without looking back at Axel.

Axel looked down at Demyx. He could see the outline of his body already starting to go back and forth between solid to transparent. Axel grit his teeth, swallowed his pride and hoisted Demyx up with him as he stood. "Take me to him, please."

Jack smiled, his hollow black eyes seeming to gleam along with his upturned skeleton grin. "This way then."

* * *

Xemnas stared up at the brightly glimmering heart moon. He knew by the way its gleam was brighter than normal that the full moon was high and that Saix would be setting their plan in motion. He grinned wide. He was eager for Saix's return to the room with news.

He didn't have to wait for long as the sound of a dark portal opened and closed behind him.

"Saix, welcome back." Xemnas turned from his window to the heavily panting Nobody sitting in the middle of the room. "Did you do it?" He approached Saix free of fear.

Saix looked up at Xemnas. Aside from the blood splatters on his face he held a torn piece of Demyx's cloak tightly between his teeth. He placed it in the open palm of his Superior with a growl.

"Ah, so this is the proof you brought me. Excellent work." Xemnas looked over the blooded fabric as he ran his other hand down Saix's long, now course, hair. "Yes. You are so good at listening to orders. I hope you didn't hurt him too much. We do need him functional after all."

Saix growled and passed his tongue over his sharp blood stained canines.

"Heh. Don't worry. Next month you'll have to show him you dominate him so you'll be able to taste his blood again." Xemnas ran his hand smoothly down Saix's neck. "But these three days it will be just us." He turned to his desk to store the torn fabric.

Saix watched his Superior. His back turned to him invited vulnerability. His process of thought was gone, the beast in him howling for a rampage. He licked his lips and stood.

"So, Saix, what shall we—urk!" Xemnas' chin met the hard wood of the desk with a loud, teeth clenching thud. His body was being forcibly bent over and pressed on the desk and arms held together behind his back by sharp nails digging in to his wrists. A warning growl sounded behind him. Rather than worry, he grinned. "I see. You want to play this game, hm?"

Saix growled. He raised one clawed hand while still holding Xemnas pinned with the other and brought it down Xemnas' back cutting past the thick leather of the cloak to the soft skin of the man he held down. Xemnas grunted as the nails dug down deep and scraped all the way to his waist.

"Ah… I forgot how sharp your nails were." Xemnas said, his grin growing larger.

Saix snarled. He licked the blood dripping from his nails slowly, globs of his drool falling on to Xemnas' open back. Xemnas twitched with each glob that stung his wound but still, he didn't fight an allowed Saix to continue. The acidic blood on Saix's thick tongue made his nostrils flare and pupils dilate. He needed more. His tongue was on the bleeding claw marks lapping up any blood what would seep free, working from the bottom up. Xemnas shuddered, now able to grip the desk since Saix had released his arms.

"Saix, you're so eager tonight." Xemnas chuckled. "I can feel your pooling drool grow the more you taste my blood."

Saix's nose was to the back of Xemnas' ear, hot puffs of sticky breathes escaping his parted maw to tickle Xemnas' neck. Just a taste. He ran his tongue slowly up the slender dark neck feeling on his tongue the acidic burn of darkness. He growled with a deeper hunger.

Xemnas shuddered with the purest delight. He rolled under the blue wolf so he could hold the blood smeared face. "Oh, Saix, I thought you would have forgotten having been away so long. But you can never forget your Master, what we've done, can you?"

Saix didn't answer. He was captivated by the slow moving throat exposed to him now. He leaned down so to gently, at first, press the tip of his tongue to the vulnerable flesh. Then he tasted, savored, the dark flesh with long slow flicks of his slickened tongue.

Xemnas shuddered and leaned his head back further and further with each lick. He gasped when fangs pierced the lubed flesh. His arms snaked around the bloodlust wolf's neck to grab two big handfuls of blue locks. He tugged and tugged to encourage his assailant to bite harder. The edge of the desk dug in to his back but it was more stimulating than painful.

"Saix…" Xemnas was panting as Saix lapped up the blood that trickled from his throat. "Why don't we continue this somewhere with more support?" Saix was already starting to tear away the front of Xemnas' cloak, longing for more blood. Xemnas caught Saix's hands before he could go further and smirked at the snarl he received. "My bed. Now."

* * *

Axel shook his leg nervously, unfolding and refolding his arms, shifting his weight left and right in his seat.

"Would you like some tea? I could make you something to help you relax."

"No thanks." Axel said to the stitched woman watching him with worry.

He looked around the room once again. The dark medieval themed lab almost made him run out with Demyx when he first followed Jack in. He regretted it instantly and really wished he had had another choice of short notice scientist to work with than the wheel chaired, trash can headed looney Dr. Finkelstein. The way he mumbled about Demyx looking like a desecrated corpse almost made him burn the entire place down, if it wasn't made of stone.

"Um…" Her name escaped him.

"Sally." She filled in as she put away some dead looking herbs on a small shelf.

"Yeah. How much longer do you think it'll be?" He had already been sitting there for about two hours.

"I'm not sure." Sally responded. "Your friend was really hurt and Dr. Finkelstein is very thorough in his work."

"You can say that again."

"Jack?"

Jack Skellington emerged from a dark shadowed hallway wiping his boney hands on his suit. He had joined the Dr., on the scientist's request, during the operation as an extra set of long hands.

"How is he? Is he okay?" Axel stood from his black leather waiting chair, which a spider quickly refilled with her webs.

"More or less." A soft whir buzzed in the room as Dr. Finkelstein joined the group.

"What do you mean more or less? Is my friend fine or not?" Axel nearly growled. He had refused to give them their names; he wasn't going to trust anyone from that world.

"If you would calm down." Finkelstein sneered. "We've run in to a bit of a complication, mainly due to him having no pulse, or a heart."

"Um…" Axel looked between the three. "That's… normal from where we're from…"

"Ah, very well. I assumed the beast that attacked him had torn his heart out. That changes things." Finkelstein twisted the joystick of his chair so he would turn around.

"Wait, the no heart thing doesn't bother you?" Axel asked with surprise.

"Not really." Finkelstein answered.

"Not everyone here has beating hearts." Sally informed. "Vampires, ghosts, tree ghouls."

"And skeletons too." Jack added with a smile. "We are all dead after all."

"Right…" Though their heartless situation was different from his and Demyx's. "Anyway, how does that change things for my friend?"

"Since he has no heart to replenish the blood he lost I'll have to make it myself. Though given the time it takes it might be pointless." Finkelstein started to drive away but was stopped by Axel blocking his path.

"Could you explain what that last statement meant?" Axel growled.

"Oh you are a ray of sunshine, aren't you" Finkelstein responded more with amusement than fear of Axel's threat. "He's in hypovolemic shock. Even with the IV pumping fluids in to him without a proper heart to replace the blood he lost and raise his blood pressure to normal, he'll die. And at the state he's in I don't have enough time to analyze his blood and replicate it. Have you ever considered him maybe in a living zombie model?"

"No, you are not experimenting on him! We get enough of that back home! Wait!" Axel grabbed the back of the departing wheel chair to stop the Dr. once again. "I can just take him home now and have him finished up there. We have a scientist there who knows how to make our blood easy."

"Yes that could work, if you want him to die even faster. You honestly don't understand anything do you? He's in shock. He can't be moved or he'll die. Did that make it through this time?"

"Grrr… what if I bring the blood here? Would that work?" Axel really had to keep himself from setting a blaze.

"Hmm." Finkelstein took a pocket watch from his coat pocket. "If you get it here within twenty minutes. That's about as much time he has left. Then he'd-"

He was talking to himself then. Axel had teleported away.

Said urgent Nobody had whisked away to the Castle That Never Was in desperation to find the Chilly Academic.

"Vexen! Vexen!" He pounded heavily, urgently on the chilly door. He most likely was waking up more Nobodies than the Academic within the room. "Vexen! Vex-gah!" His hands froze over cementing him to the door. "Hey!"

The door swung open pulling Axel inwards with it. Vexen, groggy and hair matted but still able to present his sneer of disappointment, huffed at his caught nuisance. "Do you mind, Eight? I was sleeping."

"Listen I don't have time to respect the elderly right now, I need your help." Axel said quickly.

Vexen sighed slowly and folded his arms. "Why?"

"Because Demyx is dying!"

"No I meant, why did it have to be me you chose to bother?" Vexen rubbed his forehead.

"Look complain all you want to me later but now's not the time!"

"Exactly. Now's not the time for anything. Good night." Vexen made to close the door.

"Please! Come on he doesn't have much time!" Axel pleaded.

"Find someone else." Vexen yawned.

"There is no one else!" With a hot burst Axel's flames freed him from the ice pinning him to the door. "Only you can make the blood he'll die without so what do I have to do to get you to Halloween Town within the next fifteen minutes to save him!?" Axel held the collar of Vexen's night shirt tightly, distressed.

"Well."

"Yes!? Come on just torture me already! Go!"

Vexen grinned wickedly. "I need test subjects for something I've been working on. If you, Nine and Eleven could assist I might be persuaded to leave my warm bed to aide in your near death enjoying friend."

"Fine whatever just go!" Axel shoved Vexen back in his room. "Demyx has like ten minutes left now! Get going!"

"I could, if you tell me where in Halloween Town he is."

"Grrrr! He's in Dr. Finkelstein's lab! Just tell them the red haired guy sent you with the blood."

"Fine fine." Vexen waved and slammed the door closed.

Axel stared at the door. He should have followed Vexen, he needed to, but knowing the cold scientist it would have annoyed him and slowed him down. He sighed and ran his hand through his spiked hair. "I'll check in later. Right now I think I better tell Marly." If he kept what was happening from the gardener he'd get hung once his powers returned.

He turned and headed towards Marluxia's room. Marluxia was fast asleep hugging his body pillow tight to curve with it. Luther, too, slept soundly on the night stand next to the bed. Ignorant of the time Axel picked the lock to the room and crunched over the grass floor.

"Marly. Marly." Axel whispered as he shook his pink haired friend. "Marly!" Marluxia snorted but refused to wake. "Hardhead."

A soft growl caught his attention. Luther was the one who had awoken from Axel's pestering, and he wasn't pleased seeing him disturbing his care taker.

"Oh great. Guard plant. Now's not the time, dandelion. I need him to wake up for a real important reason, and I mean it this time."

Luther continued to growl.

"Right, you hate me." Axel spotted one of Luther's yellow leaves just barely clinging to his stem body. "And you're about to hate me more." With a swift cat like strike Axel tugged the yellow leaf with a light click free from Luther who, in turn, made him hiss and try to bite the fingers daring to touch him. "This should do it." Axel lit the leaf with only a touch of his fingers so that it burned with a slow fire. He held the smoking leaf under Marluxia's nose. He waited as Marluxia inhaled the smoke then stood back as the Assassin sat up straight in bed.

"Axel out of my garden now!"

"Don't assume I'm setting things on fire." Axel crumpled the smoking leaf and tossed the burnt crisp in a small waste can.

"Huh?" Marluxia rubbed his eyes still half asleep.

"No time for confusion. We have to go to Halloween Town." Axel was in Marluxia's closet.

"Wait a minute—ack!" A cloak to the face muffled Marluxia.

"No time to wait either. The longer the wait the less time we have. Get dressed."

"Axel can you explain why? And where's Demyx?"

"He's the reason."

"He's the reason. He's the reason?" Marluxia moved the cloak aside and stood from his bed. "What exactly does that mean?"

"Well…"

The explanation was hard on Axel painful to relive, to see again before his eyes the bloody pulp Demyx had been mauled in to. By the way Marluxia's eyes widened in horror with each sick detail that poured from the shaking pyro, he was just as horrified.

"Luther, watch the room while I'm gone…"

The two teleported to Halloween Town as soon as Marluxia had his cloak zipped. But they were stopped outside the lab by Sally.

"Dr. Finkelstein doesn't want anyone in there, even me." Sally started to explain. "It looks like he and your friend have more problems to work around with your other friend."

"But we aren't just going to leave and not know what's happening!" Axel snapped.

"You can stay here in town. I'm sure Jack and I can find you two a place to stay for a couple of days while your friend is saved."

"But!"

"Axel." Marluxia calmly stopped his friend from further outburst with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We have no choice."

"But… but…" Axel lowered his head in defeat.

"We'll stay. If you could keep us informed as much as possible we'd greatly appreciate it." Marluxia said.

Sally nodded.

* * *

AN: Well this chapter got a little bit, bloody. I have to say the persona I made for my version of Xemnas well, even I can't explain where that came from. I had stored away this version of him (which I only used twice prior for personal fics) and now that he's out an about, I better be careful. Now you can see why this is rated M. Though it is a tad fun to write. Should I do a fic about how Xemnas and Saix ended up in the situation they did? The idea I came up with well, to say it is unique. But anyway the plan is in motion, Demyx has been attacked so what will his future hold till the next full moon? Look forward for upcoming chapters my lovely readers! Until next time!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.


	3. Fate Sealed

Three days passed on slowly. On the morning of the fourth day a soft steady beeping happily accomplished its alarm's set duty only to be rewarded by a red blade of darkness straight through it. The blade lingered some before fading from the palm of a stirring Superior. He lay splayed under his sheets with spiked hair a tangled mess, but there was more hidden.

As he sat up the sheets slid from his naked frame. He groaned. Every square of his body was torn, ripped, bitten and coated with dry blood that would crack at the slightest movements. Xemnas flexed and winced at the dried blood in his wounds cracking apart, then grinned. He bent over causing the dried blood stitching together the triple tears on his back to rip apart in one quick, horrific snap. He was in agonizing pain. Each slight movement assaulted his body in a new form of abuse and he knew that fresh blood was starting to spill from his back once again. But he laughed. He laughed and laughed like a mad man rolling around in the remains of his slaughtered victims in a sick passion.

"Mmm… Superior?" Saix, who had been slumbering peacefully next to Xemnas, awoke to the call of the mad man. He sat up revealing that he, too, lacked any form of clothing under the sheets. "Superior!" He panicked seeing his leader's body destroyed, bleeding a new, laughing in splendor.

"Saix, look!" The blood crept steadily down Xemnas' arms. "Look! Isn't it glorious? Just relish in how much blood can come out after three nights! It's marvelous!"

"Superior, I'm going to go find Four." Saix gently pushed his Superior down on his side having smelled the acidic scent radiating from Xemnas' back. Xemnas remained staring at his bleeding forearms with a wide grin with the occasional soft chuckle creeping from his throat. Saix stepped from the bed and searched amongst the shreds on the floor for any sort of wearable attire. He found his cloak with a few tears down the side but it would do. He slipped it on and teleported quickly.

Xemnas rolled on to his back and his laughs cut off mid breath at the sheets touching his bleeding wound. It was agony. A blissful agony. He pressed his back harder against the mattress, moaning at the self-inflicted pain. "Glorious."

Saix returned in a whir of darkness and with a look of confusion. "Four isn't here."

"Oh?" Xemnas grinned. He didn't want to be healed so soon anyway. "Why ever not?"

"I'm not sure. He left a note saying he'd return but it's dated from three days ago." Saix answered.

"You mean at the start of wolf's time?" Xemnas rolled on to his stomach.

Saix winced at the sight of crimson tainting over Xemnas' back. "Yes… possibly Eight could have-"

"Come find him to fix the mess you did? I can see why. Just look at these?" Xemnas ran a finger down a long scar following the length of his arm.

"Superior, I told you I should have left. I'm a monster."

"Oh yes, a real animal! Those three nights were wonderful! Why did I ever allow you to leave me during the full moon?"

"Because I killed-"

"Oh right right, that little thing." Xemnas pushed himself up, gasped at the pain that spiked deep in his core and collapsed back on his sheets. "Ahh…" He had forgotten of a more personal pain the blue wolf had inflicted upon him. "We're out of practice, Saix. I don't remember it hurting as much long ago."

"Superior, you should rest. I'll do what I can until Four returns." Saix opened a dark portal to the medical room to obtain the proper tools to help his Superior, but he was stopped by a grip on his sleeve.

"No. I want you to stay here." Xemnas said lowly.

"But Superior-gt!"

Even in his weakened position, Xemnas still had the power to show command. The tip of his blade burned in to Saix's wrist. He held a blank look as he summoned more darkness in to a deadlier blade that scorched the wolf's white skin till a pungent aroma of cooked flesh burned the senses.

"S-s-superior…" The touch of the concentrated darkness burned more than an open flame, more than a whip, it felt like it was melting his very flesh.

"Are you going to leave me?" Xemnas asked coldly.

"N-no." The scent of burning flesh was making him sick.

"Good boy." Xemnas released Saix and dismissed his weapon. His arm hung limp over the bed, aching from more wounds that had torn open in his attack. Saix snapped his hand back to look over his wrist. It was burned in a dark, pulsating swelling mass; the darkness in him had started to boil. "It will heal. Now, lay next to me."

Saix took one last look to his wrist, sighed then lay next to Xemnas slowly as a dog would with its owner. "S-superior you still need to be taken care of."

"Oh you took care of me plenty." Xemnas pat Saix's hair. He missed the longer length, but he preferred the return of the soft touch. "So much I can barely move."

"That's not what I meant. I meant-"

"I know." Xemnas ran his finger in circles around the point of Saix's ear. "Once Four returns then I'll cooperate. Until then I'll remain like this."

"But…" Saix sighed. "Very well." There was no point trying to convince Xemnas in this state.

"Finally you understand." Xemnas felt his head lighten. "Nn… Saix, once Four starts working on me, I want you to follow our friend to be. Watch him, see if he's changed. I want to know everything." His hand fell from Saix.

"Superior?" Saix looked to his leader with worry.

"Oh, and if Four asks… tell him I brought you back… he knows…" His eyes felt heavy. They closed slowly as his mind slipped in to a blissful memory of three nights past.

* * *

Axel starred out the glassless window of the small stone house he and Marluxia had been staying in for some days then. The home was situated on a small hill leading towards the forest so from the window all he could see was the cobblestone path which he kept a watch on non-stop. No one important had gone down that path, just a creepy looking clown and three annoying brats. He sighed.

A light barking echoed across the single floor home. Jack's ghostly dog with the glowing pumpkin nose, Zero, had come for another visit. Axel groaned. He didn't need to see the dog; he needed to see its owner. Zero glided over to Axel with a rib bone held in his mouth. Unknown to Axel, Jack had asked Zero to keep an eye on the two concerned friends as he aide Finkelstein and the new scientist with the patient. Zero sensed sincere calmness from the pink haired one but the one who always stared out the window, nothing but bitterness.

"Leave me alone." Axel huffed at the hovering phantom dog next to him. He was tired of this constant cycle.

Zero tilted his head and hovered closer giving a muffled bark behind the bone.

"I'm not going to play with you. Especially not with some bone whose owner could, for all I know, come after me."

Zero remained ignorant of Axel's claim only wanting to cheer up the distressed red head.

"Grr…"

"Just throw the bone once."

"Well look whose back." Axel said as Marluxia entered the room holding a basket filled with different types of black and grey plants.

"Well look who still hasn't moved." Marluxia replied with an equally dissatisfied glare as he set his basket down on a steel table.

Axel huffed, folded his arms and looked back out his window. "I can't believe you."

"And what can't you believe?" Marluxia asked with hands on his hips.

"That you can just go wandering about like we don't have a friend dying."

"Axel, I can't just sit here and panic. I need to distract myself so I stay calm. Besides, Sally knows about some of the plants around here and their tricks that even I didn't know existed."

"And that too. How could you get so cozy with something from this world?"

"You're letting one ill-mannered character cloud your judgment on everyone else here who are actually pretty nice characters."

"I'm not trusting anyone here because I actually care about Demyx."

Marluxia sighed. "And here we go again. Zero, could you give us a moment? Hot head here needs to cool down."

With a light yip Zero phased through the wall bone and all.

"This world makes no sense." Axel muttered.

"Axel." Marluxia turned his grumpy friend around to face him. "You can't stay like this."

"I can, and I will." Axel turned to the window once again.

"But worrying like this isn't good for you." Marluxia turned Axel back to him.

"I don't care. I can't just forget what happened."

"It's not about forgetting, it's about calming yourself down and accepting it."

"I can't live in the pansy fields like you."

Marluxia glared. "You aren't the only one who has suffered hardships around here. I've lost my powers, Demyx has obviously been put through a whole bunch of crap thanks to his bad luck, and who knows what else has gone on to the others in the Organization we don't know about. You can't just sit here and be bitter till the sun shines again. Things just can't be achieved that easy. Everyone knows that and puts up with it. And just think, would Demyx want you to be acting like this?"

Axel's eyes widened. He ground his teeth and folded his arms. "Don't pull that card on me."

"I'm not pulling anything. I'm asking you if Demyx would like to see you all bitter and pouty like this."

Axel sighed heavily knowing he had been beat. "No. He'd try to cheer me up, like that ghost dog was trying to do."

"So if you know that, why are you still like this? I know the relationship you two have is deeper than the one with mine, but it still doesn't give you an excuse to forget how Demyx would react. So why are you still doing it?"

Axel remained silent for several minutes, only the rustling of branches outside scratching against stone sounding before he finally spoke again. "A promise."

"Hm?" Marluxia arched a brow.

"I made him a promise, long ago. If I can't keep it then I'll fail from when I first said he was my friend."

"A promise, huh? I won't ask what it was about, but I do want you to think about it differently. Whatever it was, don't think only of him, think of you too. Because without you then there won't be a need for him." Marluxia stated.

As much as Axel hated to admit when he was proven wrong, everything Marluxia had said was true with little fight to be found. "Fine." Axel half huffed, half sighed.

Marluxia smiled and pat Axel's cheek. "And this is why I'm the older brother passing on my wisdom to my two younger and clueless brothers."

"Don't push it." Axel glare and bitterness was now directed towards Marluxia's smug grin.

"Umm, excuse me?" Sally was at the window looking through at the little friendly bickering scene.

"Oh, Sally, how-"

"Is he okay?" Axel interrupted Marluxia earning himself a glare from the pink haired florist.

"That's what I'm here about, actually. Your friend Vexen and the Dr. are confident he's going to be well."

"Great. That means I can go see him now right?" Axel was already climbing through the window.

"Just a moment." Sally stopped Axel from continuing his way by a hand to his arm lightly. "There's more I need to tell you."

"Tell me on the way."

"But…"

"Axel I think you should listen to her." Marluxia, who had voted on going through the front door, called out to Axel.

"But it's been like four days! I think we can manage multitasking now can't we?"

"Axel." Marluxia spoke with a tone like a parent scolding their stubborn child.

"Grrrrrr! Fine! What is it?" Axel gave in, though his impatience grew more fierce.

"Last night, an odd thing happened." Sally started. "It seemed that your friend wasn't going to make it through the night, he barely was from when they started working on him. But then suddenly it was like… a miracle. He took to the treatment and he's even awake now."

"That… doesn't sound normal." Marluxia seemed just as confused as Sally, which is more that can be said about the rash Axel.

"That's cool, let's go see him." Axel trotted on quickly leaving the two in the dark.

"But… I think he should show more concern for this. The professors even didn't know what to say." Sally looked nervous.

"It'll be okay." Marluxia smiled and started to follow Axel. "Though I'm not going to hide my concern like he is. Thanks again, Sally. You've been a real big help to us while we were hear. It means a lot."

Sally nodded slowly. Once the two were gone over the hill Zero phased up from the ground next to her. He barked, tilting his head at now a third concerned feeling he sensed.

"Oh, Zero." Sally said softly. "I have an oddly bad feeling."

"Well then, Dr., I must say just by looking at the work you have displayed here you must emerge yourself in some of the forbidden arts most scientists wouldn't even dare to, or call it a sin." Vexen said.

"Aha. It is a hobby of mine. The young Sally you saw, you see, I made her." Dr. Finkelstein boosted.

"Amazing. She functions incredibly. I too tried my hand at creating life but my facilities could never allow me the functions I needed to create something of the sorts."

"Mmm, yes, but she's flawed. Too free a spirit."

"Ah, a problem indeed. Maybe if you were to adjust her some along the cerebral-"

"Hey!"

Both Vexen and Finkelstein stopped their conversation to look at the pyro now standing down below.

"Vexen! Vexen!"

"The lab echoes enough without having your wail cracking the cobblestone." Vexen called down to the red head.

Axel looked then found Vexen up over him looking down from the top floor over the rusting railing. "Vexen where is he? Sally said he was awake."

"You see? She went and told them before we asked of her to go. Must have been spying, the blasted girl. I should have checked that soul before putting it in her." Finkelstein snorted.

"I'll take care of him. We'll talk later." Vexen said. Finkelstein clicked his tongue and wheeled off to his smaller lab on the floor.

"Vexen!"

"Yes." Vexen sighed heavily. "He is awake. He shouldn't be because of the condition he's been in, but he has healed like it was a simple scrape."

"Can I see him?" Axel was already starting his climb up the spiraling stairs.

"Very well. You won't do as I say otherwise." Vexen's tone was layered with annoyance but the faster he attended to Axel's whim, the sooner he and Finkelstein could continue their conversation and maybe even start an experiment together. "He's in the third room." He slipped in the room to wait for Axel.

"Demyx…"

"Axel?" Marluxia had finally caught up with Axel.

"Marly come on!" Axel was halfway up the stairs. With a low sigh Marluxia hurriedly traversed the stone stairs to catch up with the eager Axel.

"Axel you should prepare yourself for what he could look like. He might be awake, but he might still be in horrible shape."

"Anything would be better than what he and I were forced to suffer that night. All that blood and the way he was just limp in my arms. I don't care what he looks like now. I'm just glad I can see him again." He said that, but Axel still hesitated at the grey wood door. What could he expect to see? What would his friend look like?

"Axel?"

"I'm okay. I just… for anything." With a deep breath he held the gold knob in his hand, turned, and pushed.

"Axel!" Tall met short in a slamming, choking hug as Demyx held his friend tightly around the neck while pressing his face to his chest.

"D-Demyx?" Axel froze, door handle still in hand.

"Demyx?" Marluxia was equally surprised.

"Marly!" Demyx switched the squeezing hug to his pink haired friend now. Axel was able to get a good look at him now. Nothing. Absolutely nothing showed that Demyx three days ago was torn apart or was barely making it through the nights till then. He was his usual fluid self with no scars, stitches, abrasions, anything. Like the attack never happened.

"What crap is this?" Axel, rather than be happy his friend had made a full recovery, was pissed. "What the hell did you do to him?"

"We did what we could." Vexen stated. "He almost faded last night but now-"

"Now it's like nothing happened." Marluxia finished. He looked down at the sandy blonde top under his chin. "But how?"

"Sally said he was awake. She didn't say anything about him moving or walking around. Did you shove his brain in to a new body?" Axel glared at the icy scientist.

"Absurd. I wouldn't waste that type of genius on him." Vexen said smugly.

"Why you-"

"Axel." Marluxia stopped Axel before a fight could start between ice and fire. He held a worried Demyx close to him in a tight embrace. "If you two didn't do anything, then why is he suddenly like this?"

"For once it seems I can't figure it out, and neither can the Dr.. We ran other tests but nothing. Count yourself lucky, though. If this hadn't happened then, well, have you ever considered cloning?"

"Out!" Axel pointed a flaming finger to the door. Vexen smirked.

"Ah, the short fuse." He passed with no fear of Axel's fiery threat to and out the door. "Do leave once you are done. Oh and Nine, do try to avoid near death extravaganzas. But if you can't, at least try to do them here." Vexen chuckled darkly as he closed the door behind him.

"Damn snowman." Axel snorted.

"Demyx, are you alright?" Marluxia pushed from Demyx so he could get a better look at him.

"Yeah." Demyx answered. "I feel like I just woke up from a long nap. An uncomfortable one too. That grave pit was a bad idea to sleep in."

"So I'm guessing you don't know why you're a miracle?" Axel asked.

Demyx shook his head. "No. And even if I did know, I don't remember."

"What don't you remember? Getting attacked?" Axel asked.

"No… I remember running… claws… then waking up and Vexen and Finkelstein being shocked about it. It took them explaining as I healed for me to remember why I was running."

"Yeah some monster was after you. Wait, while you healed?" Axel scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

"The miracle thing I'm guessing you're talking about." Demyx cleared. "I couldn't feel it since Vexen had my body drugged out but I could see it." Demyx pushed down the shoulder of the blue shirt Axel had brought in a bundle of clothes to dress Demyx in since his cloak had been bloodied and destroyed. His shoulder, which once looked like a 3D science model of the arm muscle, was as smooth as ever with no visible scars or blemishes. "It had stitches but then the stitches just… fell off and it looked like this. Anywhere I was patched up looks normal. Even where I was pierced in my stomach and back." He lifted his shirt to show them. Just as he said. A smooth stomach and back. "It's like my body erased what happened." He fixed his shirt.

"Does… anyone know why?" Marluxia had no idea how to process this.

"That's why they did more tests on me; to see if anything could explain why I stated healing once I woke up. Nothing."

"I bet it has something to do with the monster that attacked you." Axel huffed.

"Why would you think that?" Marluxia asked.

"Was Demyx magic before that thing tore in to him?"

"Well… no."

"My point. Dem. You sure you don't remember anything? Maybe that monster had some venom or something it injected you with that gave you this weird disease when he attacked you."

"Axel I told you I don't. And you guys shouldn't get worked up about it. It only happened once. When they drew my blood, don't worry they were sure I was well enough for that, the puncture wound didn't heal."

"Then I bet you Vexen pumped you with some experiment of his and was so surprised it worked and didn't kill you he didn't want to tell us anything." Axel accused.

"Do you honestly believe that?" Marluxia asked with folded arms.

"It wouldn't be the first time he experimented on us… or the last." Axel hoped Marluxia didn't hear his mutter at the end. "Right, Dem?"

"Mm…" Demyx was rubbing the back of his head seeming to be lost in a deep thought.

"Dem?"

"Oh, sorry I just… started thinking about my healing and then I started to remember something I think happened in between what I think I remember."

"Huh?"

"Like what?" Marluxia asked with curiosity.

"I remember… a field." Demyx started. "A huge, open field that just went on for miles and miles, like it was never ending. The grass was so tall it went up to my hips; that was the only type of vegetation I could see. And also there were these bright white glowing fireflies that really stuck out since the sky was a dark night blue and everything seemed to have a shade of blue cast over them, like if there was a blue light bulb screwed over the place. But… that's all I remember. I blacked out again."

"Demyx, are you sure that wasn't just a dream?" Marluxia was entertained by Demyx's description of the magical field, but such a place seemed one of dreams.

"I don't know… maybe… it felt pretty real though…"

"You probably just need to get out of here; get some fresh air, some colour. I know I'm dying to get out of this dark place. Three nights is enough for me." Axel snorted and opened a dark portal with the wave of his hand.

"I-I guess… maybe." Demyx put on one of his bright smiles, though this one seemed a bit forced.

"Well come on then." Axel, the most eager to leave, went through the portal first. Demyx went to follow but Marluxia stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Demyx, are you okay? I know a fake smile when I see it."

"I… well… I am a bit confused and… scared you can say." Demyx sighed softly. He could have lied to Marluxia, but he was tired.

"Demyx if anything just tell us. Don't let us, especially Axel, believe everything is okay. If you had seen how crazy he was being stuck here not knowing if you'd make it or not. It's not healthy for anyone to worry like that. It'd be better if you told us if you have something to say, okay?" Marluxia ruffled Demyx's flat, soft hair free of the blood that once clung to it.

"Alright." Demyx nodded.

"Oh you're still here! Wonderful!" Jack Skellington entered the room followed by Sally and Zero. "Sally told me you were well and could be leaving soon. I'm glad I caught you in time. Well, at least for two of you."

"Oh, umm…" Demyx had forgotten the name of the skeleton man who ruled Halloween Town.

"Jack." Marluxia helped him. "Did you need something before we left?"

"Sally wanted to give you something, and Zero and I wanted to see how you were. You were quite the corpse when I found you and your other friend."

"Jack." Sally lightly pushed the towering skeleton, a warning to watch what he said.

"Oh but, I'm glad you are well now. That's really what matters. Right Zero?"

Zero yipped his agreement. Sally approached Demyx and Marluxia.

"I'd like you to have this." To Demyx she handed an ebony branch with raven coloured prickly leaves sticking every which way from it.

"What's this?" Demyx looked over the odd small branch.

"When you are in need to know the most, pluck two leaves and touch the third, and all will come to sight." Sally explained vaguely. She handed Marluxia his collection of herbs he had collected. "And don't forget these."

"Oh thanks! I almost did in all the excitement." Marluxia took the basket from Sally. "Thank you."

"Yeah… thanks." Demyx was still at a lost about the branch, more so with Sally's explanation.

"You're welcome anytime in town." Jack smiled his skeleton grin as he waved his boney hand.

"We'll see when we can come by again. Bye." Marluxia passed through the portal.

"Say hello to your red haired friend for us." Jack said.

"I will." Demyx nodded. Zero glided up to Demyx and barked his high pitched yip, nose glowing bright. "Oh, so that's what this is for. Thanks." He nodded to Zero and followed through just as the portal started to close. Sally couldn't help but sigh. Even with the help she offered, she wasn't sure things would go well for them.

* * *

Vexen heard the portal close from outside the room and sighed in relief.

"Finally." He said to himself. "Now maybe I can study Finkelstein and do my own mutations." Vexen turned to proceed down to Finkelstein's top floor lab but instead yelped and jumped against the railing at the pair of yellow eyes he ran in to. "What? Seven?"

"Good morning, Four." Saix said coolly. He had switched to a none torn cloak and fixed his appearance from the wild hound back to the strict second in command; prim and proper with hands held distinctively behind his back.

"What are you doing here?" Vexen glared, not appreciating having been frightened. "Shouldn't' you be-"

"It seems you are free now, excellent. The Superior in in need of your assistance." Saix cut off Vexen and raised a hand to open a portal.

"My assistance? Well whatever it is he wants-"

"Might I remind you, Four," Saix's eyes narrowed and he grinned a feral wolf grin where his sharp canines were able to gleam from the chandelier above. "that if you defy what I say it is a direct presentation of mutiny towards the Superior. If I return without you, well, I will return for you, but you won't be returning to the Castle. Do you understand, Four?"

Vexen nostril's flared at the threat and his bitter hate shone in glimmers in his icy eyes. "Hot off your run and you still want to kill?"

Saix only shrugged. "Superior's order." With a snap the portal opened. "Shall we?"

With a dissatisfied huff Vexen pushed past Saix and entered the portal. In the brief instance he and Saix touched he was able to place a pinch of his ice which was starting to grow hungrily over the warmth of Saix's arm. Saix smirked. With a firm grip he broke the ice chunk clear off in to fine crystals that splayed down in small clinks on the cobblestone floor. "Pathetic." Then he too entered the portal.

Back in Xemnas' room Vexen waited with folded arms and a chilly glare. "What is it that he wants?"

"He's in his bed. You should understand once you see." Saix answered while keeping his look away from the heap bundled up on Xemnas' bed.

Vexen arched a blonde eyebrow. "See?"

"Do I have to make you go and see?" Saix nearly growled.

"My, your attitude just gets worse." Vexen dropped his arms and cautiously approached the bed. He very well knew that some of Xemnas' plots he was involved in could be potentially dangerous. There was one particular plot he should have kept his heart out of. At the bed's edge he paused, looked back to the blue haired Nobody who still refused to look his way, then uncovered the heap. "By Kingdom Hearts…"

Xemnas was still asleep. His breathes were slow and deep. With each deep breath his back bobbed lightly. The blood had stopped slipping from the many cuts to his dark skin and had started to dry again. It should have been painful, but Xemnas slept with a smile. The only one who felt pain was the blue wolf who caused this who was refusing to see his beaten Superior. Vexen felt horrified.

"What in Hearts' name did this?" Vexen asked while looking over the deepest wound on Xemnas, the triple shreds to his back, at how deep they went and just what they did.

"The what doesn't matter. All you need to know is how to aide him." Saix answered.

"Well I can't rightly do that or anything without knowing what did it. If it was poisonous I'd have to make an antidote."

"Tch. As if the Superior would allow something to poison him. You speak as if he were weak." Saix replied and folded his arms. "He wouldn't allow anything to attack him."

"Yes I know our Superior is incredibly potent to destroy before being destroyed, but obviously that wasn't the case this time now was it?"

Saix snorted. "It wasn't something poisonous. That's all I'll tell you."

"Well thank you so much for the incredible information. I appreciate-wait."

Saix arched a brow. "What now?"

"These cuts here on his waist, I recognize these. The depth, placement, shape…"

"They're wounds from being attacked. What difference does it make what they look like?" Saix held his pissed tone but in his mind worry stated to creep.

"They matter because I stitched these closed several times long ago." Vexen looked to Saix with a deep glare. "The Superior wasn't attacked by force, he allowed himself to be willingly. He let you free again."

Saix, whose nails had been digging in to his arms barred his teeth that was accompanied with a low growl.

"Didn't I warn him, the both of you, that it wasn't safe for you to roam free after what happened?"

Saix stayed quiet.

"This attack on the Superior is worse than the ones before. You've gotten stronger. With every shift of the moon you come closer to killing him."

"He's the one who forced me to stay!" Saix snapped. His canines were long, eyes already starting to change bright and hair getting shaggy.

Vexen stepped back slightly but maintained his sour glare. "You're less in control after the nights as well. Your Berserker blood seems to be growing more hostile. And it's because of the thirst for blood you have now allowed it to crave."

Saix shook his head, inhaled deeply and tried to calm himself. "The Superior was the one who had me stay. I was ready to leave to my safety zone." He tried to speak calmly.

"And why did he have you stay? If I remember correctly I specifically told him his body wouldn't be able to handle you at the way you keep growing wilder."

"He has his reasons."

"Like what?"

"You don't have to know."

"Oh sure, I don't have to know anything but I do have to clean up the mess you make."

Saix grit his teeth. He wanted to tackle Vexen, pin him under him, tear in to him with his curved claws to feel the Academic's cold blood drip down over his skin, to taste its pungent flavor he could smell then radiating from his heat. But it wasn't him, really, who wanted that. The remnants of his full moon Berserker side that had yet to return to the moon was hungry for fresh flesh.

"The Superior only needs you to aide him now. Nothing more."

"I refuse until I know why you are not where you should be." Vexen crossed his arms stubbornly.

Saix winced. He felt the familiar sensation of three nights past again. It was mild, but it still held control. "Just… do it."

"No." Vexen stuck his nose in the air.

"Four." Saix growled.

"Growl and grumble all you want. I'm just as stubborn as y-ack!"

Saix couldn't hold it anymore. He lunged at Vexen and pinned him to the wall behind him. he snarled a warning not to move. He didn't look like his Full Moon Berserker self, more like a wilder version of his typical Berserker mode. He dug his nails deep in to Vexen's wrists and pressed his nose to his throat sniffing for the best spot to bite.

"S-see!? Y-you have no control!" Vexen struggled but the larger Berserker held him down with ease. "If you had just listened-gck!" Saix's slick tongue was on his throat marking where he planned to pierce with his fangs. "That's it!" Vexen summoned five ice spikes over them. Four sliced in to Saix's shoulders, two for each shoulder, and one cut down his exposed cheek.

Saix growled and lurched back from the Academic.

Vexen worked quickly before Saix could remove the spikes and really kill him. he froze Saix's feet to the ground with a thick, solid chunk of ice. Saix growled, stuck in place no matter how much he thrashed. He raised his arms to try and smash the ice but Vexen quickly froze the fists with their own chunk of ice. The weight was more than Saix could hold and he fell back, his body now bent backwards. He snarled, growled, snapped and thrashed, but he was trapped. Vexen sighed, sat in a nearby chair and waited while looking at the damage done to his wrists. A little ice over them for now would do.

The Berserker would leave Saix once it sees it is trapped with no means of escape, no one to hunt or blood to drink. Just like when Saix leaves to his place of safety. Vexen waited and watched the mad Berserker's thrashes slow steadily and eventually stop. The room was silent for a good ten minutes.

"…Four…" Saix's voice was hoarse.

"Hm?" Vexen looked bored.

"Release me…" Saix said after a short pause.

"Depends. Are you going to try and eat me again?" Vexen stood and approached the stomach up wolf.

"…It's gone. I felt it leave."

"Are you sure?"

"It won't return… till next month."

"I'll release you. But if you attack me again I'm freezing you. Solid." Vexen waved his hand and the blocks of ice broke apart, as did the spikes. Saix fell on to his back but didn't move. His hands and feet had gone numb from being trapped in the ice and blood still seeped from the cut on his face. "Let me guess, you want me to stitch you up too?"

"No." Saix answered. "It'll heal. Nn.." He winced. Just as he said, the cut on his face stopped bleeding then, like a smudge that was being wiped clean, the skin stitched itself back together in a flawless seam void of evidence of it having been cut just moments before. Saix sighed. "The only good about this is the healing once it's over."

"Healing once it's over…" Vexen's eyes widened. "When exactly does this healing thing of yours happen?"

"If you must know," Saix tried moving his hands which he felt warmth start to return to. "it only happens after the Full Moon Berserker leaves. It heals what was hurt in the takeover, to some extent. I assume it's a repayment for allowing use of my body."

"I see…" The pieces were falling together. "I know why the Superior had you stay."

"Do you now?" Saix was starting to have feeling in his feet again.

"To infect an innocent Nobody with your curse. Just how low will the Superior go?"

Saix closed his eyes. "The Superior has his reasons. It's best to go with them rather than defy them."

"What could he possibly want out of this?"

"Maybe if you stay quiet about all this, you'll earn the privilege to know. Now why don't you go do what you were originally brought here for?"

Vexen wanted to say more, but what could he say? Whatever Xemnas was planning he couldn't stop it, it was already in motion. "Proceed with caution." Vexen sighed and went to see what he could do about Xemnas.

"…Caution…" Saix raised his arm and pulled the sleeve down with his teeth. The black swell from when Xemnas had burned him greeted him in a way that almost mocked him. "There is no caution, when you're his pet."

* * *

AN: Good day to you my lovely readers. With college coming to an end it's been hard finding time to write. But I have been managing where I can. I'm trying to make my chapters longer but that keeps a good flow without it just being a drabble. Anyway, on to the analysis part. Seems that the full moon has infected Demyx. But what will it do to him? That's for future chapters. And Saix is having his own problems to deal with as well. Ah, what the Organization has to put up with. Until next time!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.


	4. Lunar Faces

Sea green eyes were hazed with confusion. Staring back at him was a perfect body. He had a faint remembrance of the feeling of sharp teeth tearing in to his shoulder, consuming his flesh, but any would think he was lying. He knew thick nails had punctured him from both front and back, anywhere to keep him down; he'd be seen as crazy if he stated that. Demyx turned his back to the mirror and craned his neck to see the scar-less back. He sighed softly.

"Demyx, what are you doing?" Axel, needing use of the bathroom, stopped in the doorway of his room to the shared bathroom.

"Oh, um, nothing…" Demyx was slow to tear his gaze from the mirror and make his way to his own doorway. He still could not get over how his body had repaired so swiftly and suddenly. Axel guessed as much.

"Dem, it's not that weird, really."

The way Demyx's shoulders slumped as he closed his door behind him showed very well Axel's failure to lift the mood of his perplexed friend. There really was no way to comply with someone who had been hunted, mauled, reached near death, and then suddenly healed with no reason to support the miracle.

Demyx collapsed stomach down on his bed. He shouldn't even be on his bed, he should be knocked out and drugged up on a rock hard, cold medical bed. His head hurt but not from the attack. He was confused.

Why had he been attacked?

Why was he healed like nothing?

And why did he go to that field?

Brief as it was he knew he went to that blue moon field even if Marluxia said it was a dream. But what does it mean? Demyx groaned and slapped a pillow to the back of his head.

The cold night crept on with a touch of frost assaulting the sleeping Nobodies, but one was ignoring the chill. His yellow eyes glimmered dimly as the low hanging moon. The breath of his nose was clearly visible in soft puffs as he walked. His stride was one that was stiff, annoyed.

Softly, he turned a knob so he could slip in to the room of one particular sleeping Nocturne. His steps, silent as the pads of a wolf's paw, hid his approach. His eyes narrowed at the bundle curled tightly under the bed sheets. He pulled the sheets back and tore the pillow from the sleeping clutches of the young Nobody. Only a soft groan sounded from the Nocturne due to the cold air now touching his skin.

"So, you really have accepted the moon within you?" Saix said lowly. He ran a finger under Demyx's chin to tilt it up for a better look at the child like sleeping face. "You healed just as I did. No doubt next month…"

Demyx started to shake with a touch more fervor than a normal cold wind chill. He gasped softly and tried to curl up.

"Ah, you can sense my dominant lunar phase already? Well," he let Demyx's head drop. "You'll be in for something next month. I will have to show my dominance after all." Saix touched Demyx's shoulder ever so slightly. "I won't remember it, of course, and neither should you. And you should also not remember what the Superior has planned for you. What luck you have."

The Nocturne's skin was soft and delicate under his own roughened skin. Anything could pierce the virgin flesh easily; no wonder his Full Moon Berserker form went so wild. The way the groves of his spine sent a tingle that made the blue wolf's hand twitch with each soft gasp the Nocturne took. He wanted to feel those curved bones rolling in his palm, to scratch his nails against them.

Saix clenched his hand and pulled it back slowly from Demyx. He felt… odd, as if the full moon was hovering over him but it was near morning and the moon was in a different phase. He looked to his hands; black nails were starting to replace his normal clear ones. And in his mouth against his tongue he could feel the familiar prick of sharpened canines.

He was normally in control of his everyday Berserker mode so, why had he started to slip without him even feeling it? He moved his hands back to front as if that would hold the answer, than looked to the shivering, whimpering Nocturne. He reached out wanting to touch him again.

His pointed ears twitched at a click behind him; someone was near. With a soft growl he swept from the room back from where he entered without his answer, but not without a purpose.

Axel entered the room through the shared bathroom. He would have rather been asleep then but he and Demyx were scheduled for a packed day. Speaking of the water bearer, when Axel reached the bed edge he sighed and shook his head. Demyx shirtless, no blanket over him and him shivering to death.

"I told him it was going to be cold tonight." Axel sighed. He pulled off a glove and lay it open hand upon Demyx's back. The shivers he felt slowly started to subside due to the natural heat he radiated. Well, Demyx was warm but needed also to be awake. Gradually, so not to burn him, Axel added more heat to the pads of his fingers and his palm. He could see the sweat starting to form on Demyx's back. Just a little more and the water boy should be up and grumpy.

"Nghh…too…hot…" Demyx groaned.

"Well then get up and you'll feel better." Axel said, finally pulling his hot hand back.

"Axel?" Demyx was hot, dreary, and confused.

"Who else is a breathing, burning alarm clock." Slipping his glove back on Axel made his way to Demyx's closet.

"Axel, why are you here so early?" Demyx sat up as he yawned and stretched his arms over his head. "It's only-ack!" A shirt and cloak to the face muffled him.

"Didn't have a choice. We have one hell of a mission day."

"Mission?" Demyx pouted as he shoved off the clothes in his face. "Why do I have to go on a mission I just came back from the dead. Don't I get some time off?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because only you, me, Marluxia, Vexen, and Halloween Town know what happened."

Demyx huffed. "Couldn't you have told anyone else?"

"What that you were mauled to shreds? Not the best story to tell. Besides look at you. No one would believe it anyway seeing you now. You're walking, talking, eating and can still control your element. You're perfect. Only Marly has an excuse to not have missions for a while."

Demyx groaned. "Fine. Where and what are we doing?" He pulled on a sea blue T-Shirt before yanking on his cloak with a sour look.

"Neverland, Agrabah then Pride Lands." Axel answered.

"Ugh… why so many places?"

"We're being sent out to get some things for Vexen, then just some recon. Really, it's more time consuming than anything. Pixie dust from Neverland, some gem or another from Agrabah, and for Pride Lands there was a sudden spike in darkness levels. No Heartless yet but we're supposed to figure out where the spike came from."

"I understand the recon but why do we have to be the errand boys for Vexen?" Demyx asked while unwillingly sliding from his warm bed.

"Uh… we must have drawn the short stick or something." Axel's eyes darted side to side. Really only the Pride Lands was an official mission; the Vexen jobs were the start of what he owed him for saving Demyx.

"Ax-"

"Come on let's get a move on!" Axel opened a dark portal and stepped through it quickly. He was certain Demyx would pick up on the nervous tone in his voice so he wanted to be out on the errands before questions could even start coming his way.

* * *

_Neverland_

A round moon hung over the island style world. Here it was either a glistening moon with sparkling stars piercing the blue night sky or a hot bright sun radiating down upon the inhabitants. The two Nobodies had arrived just as the world shifted to night meaning it would be easier for them not to be spotted and get the pixie dust.

The low tides crept up along the rocky shore with each push and pull of the opal ocean. The spray of the sea foam carried the sand salt smell from the beach further back from the coast. Hinted along the smell was that of burning oak; the natives of this land must be celebrating the appearance of the bright moon in the clear sky.

Demyx liked the combined smell of ocean and burnt wood. The night was quiet, the ocean the only song playing. This world was wild during the day but at night it had a serene quality to it. Demyx looked up at the moon and stopped. Mesmerizing. A beautiful glow emitting from around the perfect sphere and a warmth he was sure he could touch if he could only-

"Dem?" Axel soon noticed his companion wasn't behind him and instead was staring with a deep captivated look at the Neverland moon. "Demyx, hello?"

"Huh?" Demyx pulled away from the warmth and shook his head. "Sorry… pretty moon…" He caught up with his confused friend as a small headache started along his brow.

There was only one place where the two Nobodies could acquire the requested pixie dust; off of the fairy, Tinkerbell, in the middle of the Lost Boys' camp. A rowdy group of miscreant boys shouldn't be so hard to deal with should they be awoken, one would think, but they had a knack for tricks and pranks that drives any adult mad, all lead by their ringmaster, Peter Pan.

Well it really wasn't a camp, more like a bunch of runts cramped into a hollowed out knobbed tree. They stood in front of said tree. No lights slipped from the cracks of the worn wood so the boys were asleep; it would have been easier if they weren't there but the definite snores might bide them some cover.

"Alright. I'll boost you in Dem." Axel stated.

"Wait, me? Why? You could do it too." Demyx shook his head quickly. He wasn't about to go down into a pit of brats.

"I'm too tall. You can slip in and out easy."

"What if I wake them up?"

"Pass yourself off as a visiting water spirit. Come on, the faster we do this the sooner we get our other missions done." Axel pushed Demyx closer to the tree. It seemed ominous now as it cast its crooked shadow over them.

_Bad idea. Bad idea. Bad idea. _That's all that could pass through Demyx's head as Axel boosted him up the tree. _Why am I letting myself be the butt of this mission?_ Demyx looked down the top of the tree; it was a semi slide down, probably some steps at the base. _Ugh, even I'm too old for this…_ He swung his legs over the slide, gave one last glare to the waving Axel and scooted down the slide slowly.

The snores grew louder with each scoot down. It was dark, but not as dark as the World That Never Was he was accustomed too. At the base of the slide he stepped off with light tip toes and descended the few stair steps to the bottom of the tree; the snores were even louder now at the heart of the Lost Boys' home. How could such noises come from little humans? He looked around not wanting to take a step unless he was sure where he was going.

In the far distance he noticed a faint light that seemed to glow bright then dim softly as if it were a gentle breath. _Tinkerbell. _He thought. He took slow and light steps towards the light. In one step the wood under him creaked so loudly all the snorts caught in sync. He stood still expecting the cry of a rooster then sticky hands all over him. But when slow breathes heated the room he relaxed and continued on to Tinkerbell.

She had a little private room made of leaves and vines. Demyx was about to part the leaf curtain to her room then stopped. Axel hadn't told him how to collect the dust nor given him in what. _Damn it, I'm stuck._ He thought. He chewed his bottom lip and parted the leaves.

Tinkerbell was sound asleep in a little leaf bed with a moss blanket covering her tiny frame. Slowly, so not to wake the delicate pixie, he wrapped his hands around her and took her from her room. Keeping his hands around her he, moving quicker knowing the clear path, returned to the stairs, climbed up them and scooted up the slide with some difficulty. He was sure there was an easier way out but there was little time to search; Tinkerbell could wake with his moving her around.

"Demyx, did you get it?" Axel asked once he saw a mullet head stick back up from the tree.

"More like her." It was a struggle to slip from the tree and in to the waiting arms bellow.

"What do you mean her?"

Demyx uncurled his hands to show the sleeping fairy on his palms. "You didn't exactly tell me how to get the dust."

"Oh…right…eheh… Well this will be easier either way." Seemingly without care of waking her Axel lifted Tinkerbell by her arms.

"Axel what are you-"

"Shh." Axel tapped her cheek softly with a finger. "Hey fairy, come on." He tapped her again.

Tinkerbell shook her head, a soft bell sounding from her as she yawned. When her eyes opened she looked between Axel and Demyx, confused and still disoriented.

"There we go. You don't need to lounge around anymore; your hips are plenty big." Axel said.

"Axel!"

She did not like that. She snapped away from Axel's loose hold and started yelling; well it sounded more like chiming bells.

"Woah there." Axel said with a grin as he backed in to Demyx. "You're grouchy. No wonder Pan likes that girl Wendy better."

The way Tinkerbell's yellow glow turned bright red was frightening. Axel had hit a sour spot. Her wings fluttered, little hands balled in to fists. She spun around them pouring dust until they were left in a coughing fit. Nodding her approval she yelled once more in her bell voice and flew back in to the tree.

"So this was easier then what you had planned?" Demyx said through coughs.

"We got the dust." Axel sneezed. "So the tactic was a bit rough." He pulled a small leather pouch from his cloak where he brushed the dust from himself in to.

"You got yelled at by a fairy and had us cough our way to success. It's a bit more than rough." Demyx shook his hair sending some of the dust off his hair. Axel was staring at him, rather oddly. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just usually when you get dusted it works on you instantly. Everyone else has to force thoughts to get it to work."

He was right. Within the Organization the pixie dust only worked instantly for three; Roxas, Xion, and Demyx. All the others had to mentally force themselves to think in the way the dust wished.

Demyx looked himself over in confusion. "Maybe I'm just too mad at being shoved down a tree for it to work right now."

Axel shrugged and swept the dust from Demyx in to the bag. "Whatever. At least I don't have to go after you when you freeze from the height. Well we got the dust." He slipped the bag in to his cloak pocket. "Next up, Agrabah." He opened a portal and stepped through. Demyx looked back to the tree then to the high hanging moon again. The dust hadn't worked for him… He shook his head.

"I'm just feeling bitter right now." He turned in to the portal just as it closed.

The calm to the world returned once they left. The shore was still, not a wave stirring. Soft footsteps padded over to where the young Nobodies once stood. A long finger swept over the remaining dust on the ground and rubbed between thumb and finger.

"The loss of an innocent mind." Saix said lowly, eyes on the dust. "And oblivious to the shift."

* * *

_Agrabah_

A sandstorm was on the verge of carpeting over the crumbling stone city. Where most would have been out at the bazaar selling or trading they were now hiding in their homes, safely sheltered until the storm would pass. The portal of the two Nobodies opened right at the main entrance to the city; the front of the storm was nearly upon the city by then.

"We have great timing it seems." Axel said. The heat was retched but for him it was comforting, it could have been a tad hotter even.

"Urk.." A wave of nauseous hit Demyx instantly. Agrabah wasn't his favorite place because of the heat Axel favored but even in a sandstorm he hadn't felt this ill so quickly. "Axel…"

"We better get to the Cave of Wonders before we get trapped in that storm." Axel said.

"Can we… teleport there? I'm not feeling too well for a walk…" Demyx held his head. The sand underneath him was starting to swirl. A normal person would sweat, but he panted and let off soft puffs of vapor when he reached a high level of dehydration.

"Dem? Are you dehydrated already?" Axel looked over his pale friend with worry.

"I just… need to get out of this heat… please?" He was lightheaded, ready to collapse. Axel caught him as he stumbled forward.

"Your cloak is sticky." Axel commented.

"It's… my vapor…" Demyx was lost. He had never felt this bad in any dehydration state, and Axel had taken him to an active volcano once.

"Maybe we should go home."

"No…it'll be cooler in the Cave… just portal us there… please." He looked up; sand was starting to swirl over the city walls. Axel nodded and opened a portal. He slowly directed his limp friend to the portal passing through just as the storm started.

The Cave of Wonders had seen better days. Now it was just a ruin of its past. Axel leaned Demyx against one of the toppled pillars. Demyx was still panting but there wasn't any vapor slipping from his pores so he was cooling down some. But he still felt nauseous, unable to keep his eyes open without everything spinning before them.

"Dem, you sit here and relax. I'm going to go find the gem thing Vexen needs. Then we'll head back home, give him the stuff and get you something to drink before heading to the Pride Lands. Alright?" Axel ran a hand through Demyx's damp hair. Demyx gave one light nod, too afraid to talk to risk bringing up bile. Axel looked back to Demyx as he left through the only doorway remaining. He needed to find the gem quick; he didn't want to leave Demyx alone long.

Demyx's breaths calmed as he leaned against the pillar. He was feeling tired. He was already half out of it, what harm could a quick nap while Axel returned do? His body fell limp and slid down the pillar; unconscious and barely breathing. But fortunately for him he wasn't as alone as Axel had thought.

Saix walked up to the unconscious Nocturne. He crouched and held his heated face in his hand. "Accelerated dehydration. You're weak in this world but not like this. Your aquatic half must be heightened."

Demyx shuddered; soft gasps passed his dry lips and, like the night before, tried to curl up in the presence of Saix's lunar prowess.

"I wonder just what else changed about you." Saix tilted a water bottle to Demyx lips. He angled it just slightly so not to drown him with the luscious water that was rehydrating his form. Demyx's breathes calmed, relax but still with some gasps due to Saix. Saix lowered the Nocturne's head and stood.

The young and weakened frame underneath him would have been easy to pounce on then. He could see the helpless Nobody under him too weak to call for help as he sunk his teeth in to him to taste the sweet blood he knew laid still in his veins.

A twinge of pain in his head.

There he was again. Going off thinking like an animal. It wasn't like him. Ever since his initial switch back from the full moon nothing about him had felt the same, especially around Demyx. Then again, he had never had to deal with another lunar victim. This was new to him and might not be the best thing for his wild animal half.

He tore his gaze from Demyx at the sound of echoing footsteps. The pyro was returning. He'd have to find out more on this later. He teleported away right before Axel stepped in to the entrance hall.

Axel tossed a red rectangle gem between hands. Finding the gem went easier than he expected. Well with everything in crumbles there really wasn't much risk of traps, only the occasional falling rock.

"Demyx?" He shook Demyx. "Demyx wake up, I'm back."

Demyx groaned softly.

"Demyx you know it's not good to let yourself relax when like this, you might not wake up." He shook his friend again only relaxing when he saw those sea green eyes.

"Mmm… my head…" Demyx said softly.

"I know." Axel helped Demyx up on his unstable feet. "I'll drop you off in your room to drink some water while I deliver these things for Vexen."

Demyx was incoherent of what Axel had said. He heard the dark portal open and felt the touch of darkness. His focus was on how he wasn't dizzy when he opened his eyes or how his thirst seemed to be less when he awoke. Then there was also the feeling of something else that had been near him. Something that made him shudder just to think about it. To Axel it was Demyx still being out of it and not a Nocturne confused about his own body like a prepubescent teen.

At their home Axel sat Demyx down on his bed and handed him a tall glass of water. "You stay here and rehydrate while I get these things to Vexen. We'll leave for Pride Lands once you feel better." He patted Demyx's head and hurried out.

Demyx starred down at the cup. The pain in his head and throat were fading, but the pain shouldn't have been there to begin with. "Nnn…" He held his head. "What's wrong with me today…?"

Axel dropped off the items to Vexen. He groaned through the reminder of the promise he made then stormed off. "Like I need his constant reminder about what I promised or that I have to convince Marly and Demyx to go along with it." He sighed, thoughts returning to how Demyx had acted in Agrabah. It was worrisome. "Maybe I should ask Marly to come with us to Pride Lands…" It's not that he was afraid Demyx would dehydrate in the savannah as he did in the desert, but in case he still wasn't quite himself it was best he had some backup with him for help.

With some odd charades exchanged between him and the Fly Trap, Luther, Axel was able to find Marluxia practicing his scythe skills in the training room. "Hey Princess!" he called out catching Marluxia mid swing of beheading some practice dummies.

"Axel? Weren't you on a mission?" Marluxia asked, slicing the last of the dummy's heads off. He used his scythe as a leverage to flip his way to Axel.

"Came back from half of it actually. But I need a favor."

"I'm not doing your mission for you. I'm practicing armed combat while I recoup."

"It's not that. I want you to come with me and Demyx to Pride Lands as… insurance."

"Insurance?" Marluxia dismissed his weapon and crossed his arms. "What do you mean? Something up?"

"Yeah… with Demyx… he's a bit… off. Nearly dehydrated to death in Agrabah. And just in case something could happen in Pride Lands I just wanted a little help…" Marluxia looked him over, judging as he thought.

"Does he know you're asking me?"

"No. I'd rather him not think of it as…"

"Babysitting him? Well, if you're really so worried about it you're asking me for help, guess I could come."

"It must be so painful for you." Axel rolled his eyes at Marluxia's soft chuckle and led the way back to Demyx's room.

By the time they returned Demyx had finished his third cup of water. "Marly?"

"Hey Demyx, hope you don't mind I tag along with you guys. I've been stuck in the Castle so long I feel like I'll go stir crazy." Marluxia explained with his usual bright attitude.

"He wouldn't take no for an answer." Axel huffed.

"Um… I guess. I don't mind. It could make things easier." Demyx smiled. That brought some relief to Axel. The water must be helping him.

"Pride Lands up then." Axel said as he opened a portal.

* * *

_Pride Lands_

"Mmm. The fresh air smells wonderful." Marluxia said sticking his brown feline nose up as high as it could go to catch the soft breeze of the savannah.

"Yeah, if you like the stink of warthogs." Axel commented, brown tail thumping.

"Way to ruin things." Marluxia huffed. He shook his impressive, long flowing pink mane and padded his way back to Axel and Demyx. The Pride Lands was one of those worlds that shifted the appearance of those who enter it, like Atlantica. Most are lions, such as Marluxia who stood as a purple pink lion with a long pink mane and Axel whose shape was that of a medium brown lion with a short spiky red mane. But Demyx was different. He alone was the only one in the Organization to shift in to a cheetah, an adolescent one so his mullet mimicked the unruly fur young cheetahs have before reaching maturity.

"Axel we're nowhere near any warthogs." Demyx stated.

"Still stinks. Gah!" Marluxia pounced on Axel and sat triumphantly on his back.

"Bet it stinks even worse now."

"Get off me!"

Demyx laughed. "You guys are like kittens."

"It's this pink fluff ball's fault." Axel tried to push Marluxia off but he kept a firm sit. "Marly we're on a mission."

"He's right Marly." With a flick of his tail Demyx pounced on Marluxia. Though his frame was smaller it was longer, a match for lions.

"Ah! Hey you cheated you little cub!" Marluxia pawed at Demyx's nose.

"Well you're keeping us." Demyx twitched his nose and slid off Marluxia.

"Thank you for removing pinkie." Axel sat up and shook out his fur. "Now then. Heartless have just started to come up like crazy around here. Seems like a sudden darkness just started. We're supposed to figure out what it is."

"Sounds simple enough. Just follow where the Heartless spawn the most." Marluxia licked at his paw.

"That's going to take a bit of exploring." Axel replied.

"We could just ask around. See what the locals think is the darkest and scariest place. Isn't that where Heartless tend to spawn anyway?" Demyx gave his opinion.

"I guess. Come on then." Axel started to lead the way but was left in a coughing fit as Demyx sped past him trailed by Marluxia. "Hey! When did this turn in to a race!" He bolted after them.

Thanks to the directions of a zebra they made their way to what was known as the Elephant Graveyard in the savannah. They were warned to be cautious though. Hyenas made their home there since they were forbidden on the Pride Lands' main territory. They walked away from the green surrounding the lake to the growing brown along the edges of the savannah till they reached the rocky cliffs that lead down to the Elephant Graveyard.

"Pleasant…" Marluxia looked down the cliffs and sniffed. "Do you think elephants really come here to…?"

"Well those bones didn't get here on their own." Axel hoped down the ledges easily to the bottom.

"Yeah… I suppose… Demyx?"

"Hm?" Demyx had his eye on a pack of antelope grazing along the brown grass. His ears twitched with each flick of their tails, whickers twitching as they walked.

"Demyx?" Marluxia pawed at Demyx's tail.

"Oh, um, coming." He followed Marluxia down the ledge. Once at the bottom his ears pinned back nervously. "I don't like the aura of this place…" The elephant skeletons were piled around them. Lifeless figures of what they once were or just piled of bones with no distinct guide of what belonged where.

"Tell me about it." Axel sniffed the ground. "Can't tell if something lives here though."

"Well guess that means we can go back up." Demyx was stopped by a paw on his tail.

"Demyx we have to check this place out." Axel said.

"But-ow!" Axel held the stripped tip of Demyx's tail in his jaw and pulled him with him as he walked. "Ow! Okay I'll go now you let go!"

With a smirk Axel dropped the fluffed up tail. "Good kitty."

Demyx huffed and followed his two friends, bents ears showing his apprehension. They walked along the single path weaving in between the bones. From what they could see, nothing lived there nor were there any Heartless. Perhaps they were misled by the zebra Axel had thought. Marluxia rebutted saying that maybe there was more going on in the world than even the locals knew. Demyx remained quiet, his mind returning every now and then to the pack of antelope he had seen. He wondered what it would be like to run at them, see them bolt from him and him race to try and keep up. He shook his head. He and Axel had messed with the prey of the world before, so this was probably him just wanting to let out some childish antics.

"Well that was a bust." Axel said as they clambered their way back up the ledge.

"Not really. At least we know the graveyard isn't the darkness spawner. Right Demyx?" Marluxia looked back at Demyx who was looking off in the distance.

"Oh um, yeah." Demyx looked up at the blue purple night sky. "We searched down there longer than I thought."

"No point going back home without a completed mission. Might as well stay the night." Axel trotted on.

"Wait, what?" Demyx hurried to catch up with him.

"It's not like we haven't before. We just need to find a place away from everything." Axel's tail flicked.

"But…"

"It'll be fine Demyx." Marluxia nudged against him. "It's only one night. And we'll be together."

"I… I guess…" His ears flattened. It's not that Demyx was afraid to spend the night in the Pride Lands. He just had a feeling he shouldn't. With Axel at the lead they managed to find a small cave. They plopped down in the squished quarters, curling up as best they could to make room for each other and tried to settle for the night.

…

_Paws padded silently over the soft ground. Only a low rustle of the tall grass against fur sounded. In the distance he could see them. The pack of prey he had been tracking. A flick of a tail, a crouch of feline muscles, he snuck up to them. They couldn't see him. They couldn't hear him. All they were thinking about was their midnight meal. He crouched low to the ground, and leapt. They ran but he was faster. Their hooves clapped as his paws stomped. There was one slower than the other, lingering as the pack sped on. He singled it out, snapping his teeth at it to deter it from the group. It was slowing. One leap, claws out. It was down. _

…

Demyx woke slowly with a low groan. He was balled up tight, tail curled around him. The ground wasn't comfortable at all. He wished they had found a more comfortable cave. He yawned, tongue curling, then nearly wretched. There was a foul taste on his tongue. _Cheetahs must have weird morning breath…_ his disoriented thoughts concluded as he sat up. Another yawn and a stretch, his nose twitched. There was a smell stuck to it, a fouler one than the one on his tongue. "Ugh… cats…" He wiped at his muzzle and froze.

His paws were stained in a faint orange. The ground below him pooled a dark red puddle. New scents were assaulting his feline nose as he started to wake up. He wiped at his muzzle again, the stain grew more. "Wh-why…?" He fur stood on end as he glanced to his left. He felt a knot well up in the back of his throat as he slowly turned to gaze horrified at the half eaten carcass of an antelope. His ears pinned tight to his head, eyes widening. He felt his breathes quicken, heaving at the sight, tail thrashing, he screamed.

Axel's ears flicked up as he jolted to the distant scream. "Hm… huh… what?" He looked around the cave. Aside from Marluxia's furry butt in his face no one else was in the cave with them. "Demyx?" He shook Marluxia. "Marly did you see if Demyx left?"

"Mmm…" Marluxia patted the hand away. "Go bother Demyx…"

"I could if he was here…"

"Huh?" Marluxia yawned, sharp canines shining from the sun. "Demyx? Hey, where is he?"

"I thought you knew…" Axel's ears perked at another scream. "Though… I think I might know where he is." He climbed over Marluxia out the cave. His ears flicked and followed the screams. Marluxia tilted his head and followed, the screams now registering in his sleepy mind. They followed the screams as they grew louder, more terrified, and stood wide eyed and horrified at the sight before them. Demyx, his paws and muzzle bloody next to a torn, dead antelope.

"D-Demyx…?" Marluxia asked.

"M-Marly… A-Axel I don't… I didn't mean… this I… I don't know!" Demyx was shaking.

"Demyx did you… to the antelope…?" Axel didn't want to hear it.

"I couldn't! I would never!" Tears started flowing from his eyes down his furry cheeks.

"You're bloody…" Marluxia said.

"I didn't!" He gagged and heaved. If the blood on his face wasn't evidence enough the contents of his stomach added to it.

"Demyx…" Axel said lowly.

"No… no I couldn't…" Demyx backed away from them. He was horrified in himself. How could he? He didn't even remember any of it.

"Demyx…" Marluxia reached a paw out to him.

Demyx turned ready to run but both Axel and Marluxia tackled him.

"Let me go! I hurt and… and did that to an innocent creature and I don't even remember any of it or know why!" Demyx cried out. Tears were flowing free as he shook. He dug his nails in the ground as he tried to crawl away from the two masses on him.

"We're going home. Now." Marluxia grabbed Demyx by the scruff of his neck, the best holding spot for a feline. Axel nodded his agreement and opened a portal. Demyx shook and sobbed uncontrollably as they pulled him through the portal back to the Castle.

Once the portal was closed another feline approached the eaten carcass. This one wasn't a normal one though. He was tall, broad and muscular, but he was also a dark blue with a light blue long spiked mane.

"So. He gave in to his carnivorous hunger but without memory of it." Saix brushed a paw over the bite marks left on the antelope's side. "He's a good hunter, being able to bring down one on his own the first time. He could be a good hunting partner in the future. If he can control his fear." Saix's tail flicked. "I should report back to the Superior. He'll want to know how much he has changed and how well he's taking to his new side." Saix opened a portal and hoped through.

Axel and Marluxia pinned Demyx down on his bed. He was thrashing wildly, crying, yelling out "I killed it! I killed it!" over and over. He was hysterical with his overwhelming guilt and consumption towards the antelope. They held him down as he thrashed and cried. Slowly his spasms died down only sniffling his pain.

"Demyx, you didn't have control of whatever happened." Axel spoke softly to him.

"What even happened!? Why did I do that!?" Demyx was raising his hysterics again.

"Demyx relax please. We don't know what happened either." Marluxia held Demyx's tear stained face. "Do you remember anything?"

"I just… I remember seeing the antelope when we first passed and wanting to chase them. But I thought it was like when Axel and I just messed with them! Last night when we fell asleep I was still thinking about it and then this morning…"

"Maybe you got too absorbed in the animal instincts…" Axel said.

"Never like that before!" Fresh tears were falling down his cheeks.

"Demyx enough." Marluxia hugged him tight to his chest. "It was… an accident…"

"But…"

"Dem it just happened… we can't do anything about it. Or explain it. Only…" Axel brushed a hand through Demyx's hair. "get over it. As heartless as that sounds."

Demyx stayed silent but nodded. He pulled Axel in to the hug, much to Axel's discomfort of being pinned against Marluxia, but there were those times he put up with it.

Saix pulled away from the door. He just wanted to follow them a bit more just to hear how the three dealt with their horrid situation. From what he heard the terrified Nocturne was lost and loathing himself for what he had done. A grin spread on his face. It was amusing to him how much the Nocturne's new lunar half was hovering over him and yet, he was none the wiser of what was occurring to him. And if things continued as such he wouldn't find out. Especially not with the Nobodies he considered friends tagging along with him. They were just as blind to the changes.

He walked on down the hall along the familiar path the Xemnas' room. He had been doing just what he asked of tailing the new lunar Nocturne to see how he's changed. He had much to report and hoped it would put the Superior in a bright mood.

"So, he really has taken strongly to the moon within him. I knew it would work." Xemnas was stomach down on his bed still recovering from his three day escapade with Saix's Full Moon Berserker side. The wide smile plastered on his face echoed his uplifted mood. "You did wonderfully Saix. Such a good boy." He waved a hand to Saix, wanting him to come over. With a deep inhale he walked over to his recovering Superior.

"To be honest, Superior, he's taken to his new lunar half faster than I expected." Saix started.

"Yes. It's wonderful." Xemnas reached a hand to Saix's arm to tug him down.

"But… there is something else I wanted to discuss." Saix sat willingly at Xemnas' tugs.

"If you're worried he'll replace you, fret not. You have something I cannot live without." Xemnas grinned rather smugly and curled locks of Saix's blue mane between his fingers.

"It's not about that." He unconsciously leaned in to the petting hand. "I've been feeling an, odd, sensation come over me every time I come near Nine." Xemnas arched a brow but didn't interject, so Saix continued. "It's just like when I am in my Full Moon Berserker form. I want to hunt him. Again. He's so… weak he makes it so easy and then I feel a stir and I have to pull myself away before I maim him."

Xemnas' hand was at his chin, thumb running over the sharp points of his jaws. "You're so tense. Maybe you need a bit of a stress relief, hm?"

"Superior, I don't think you understand-hck!" He was hit right in the bone of his jaw sending a sharp spike of pain up his face.

"Oh I do understand. You're foreign to all of this. Having a new member in the pack that shares a trait with you. While you're in a neutral form your competing halves will want to great the new flesh. But you won't allow it. Not till he shifts and even then, I'll have control over the both of you." Xemnas touched lightly where he struck the blue wolf. "You and I have our bond but he, we'll have to make one. So don't you dare go and make it without my permission. Because while you will become his alpha, I will always overall remain the both of yours'. Do you understand, my pet?"

Saix nodded slowly. "Of course, Superior."

"That's a good boy." Xemnas smiled softly, his mood softening again. "Come. I need some warmth." Xemnas tugged a lock of blue hair towards the bed. Saix sighed. Xemnas' idea of warmth never pleased him. He slid close and pulled himself on to the bed. Xemnas smiled back at him, unable to move but knowing he didn't have to to show what he wanted. Saix settled himself next to Xemnas; arms curved around his waist and pressed his nose to the nape of his neck making sure his blue hair fell over the exposed back of his Superior. "Mmm… you learn well, Saix."

"I have to." Saix replied without emotion.

* * *

AN: Hello my lovely readers! Been a bit since my last update but I get in such a slump when not in school it gets hard to write. I'm weird, I should be paying attention in class but it's the best time to write. Am I the only one that thinks that? Anyway, so Demyx has started to experience some changes thanks to his new lunar half. They're not quite pleasant, and he hasn't even shifted yet. Oh and if you have any questions for me don't be afraid to send me a message. One of my lovely readers did so, a big thanks to_ silverheartlugia2000_ for asking me the question that was on their mind, so if you have a question, really on anything go ahead and ask. I love hearing from my readers. And also I want to thank_ istoleyourcheesecake_ for their review. That type of review is why I write. And to_ Senjuina_, thanks too! I feel so sappy but I just get so happy when my writing affects people in some way or form. So I'll keep on writing and you keep on reading. Until next time my lovely readers! (Oh just a little random note here, I have a Facebook page set up for a game/manga series where anyone who enjoys roleplay craziness can join as the characters that are still available. So if you're interested look on to my profile to where you can go to see the page. Maybe I'll get to know some of my readers! Thanks for reading my babble!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts


	5. The First Change

"It's almost time, Saix." Xemnas spoke in a low purr. His gaze was directed out the window, glued to the glimmering Hearts Moon. As the time of the full moon reached the human world the glow of the Hearts Moon grew brighter and brighter till the coming day when it was a radiating beacon. "How do you feel? He should be feeling the same." The silver haired man turned to the blue wolf leaning against the furthest wall.

"I... I can feel the pull of the moon already..." Saix answered. He had felt the hungry call of the moon's force since he woke that morning. He always felt it's pull early on in the day, but it had never been this prudent,this straight forward, so early in the morning. He knew the reason why the moon's tug was rough; he was no longer the only one answering to it

He gripped tightly at his cloak. If he felt this strong an urge then Demxy was no less a victim. He too looked out towards the Hearts Moon. Always since he was reborn he felt a bond to it, but not only in the want to reclaim his heart. To what the type of bond was he didn't anticipate, or protest it. The moon was his and he was the moon's. He held his head. "Superior... I still advise that I leave. You've only just recovered from the last incident. And with what Four said..."

"I do not care what Four has to say." Xemnas was in front of Saix now. He grew quickly annoyed when his pet dared tried to take away his fun. He had waited patiently for a month. He had satisfied himself only watching the cowardly Nocturne from a distance when he so wanted to reach out and tease him as he does to Saix. He had fantasized too long for this night. He wanted his new pet. "Saix. I want him. I want the both of you. I do not care for anything else." His orange eyes dared Saix to further the argument.

"Superior..." Saix did dare. "I feel that my control is becoming worse. I'm becoming more of a wild animal. If I don't leave before the moon's rise tonight there is a high chance I could kill-hck!" Xemans' hands were on each of Saix's ears. Saix's instincts froze him each time his Superior laid a hand on him; he knew it was better that way.

"Saix, my dear Saix." Xemnas brushed his thumbs up to the tips of Saix's ears. "When you kill me I love it. Experiencing you as the true beast you are, it gives me chills." He tweaked the ears earning himself a whimper that fed his sadism. "If I could I'd make it so you'd be my beastly pet all the time. But that would be greedy of me. Three days is plenty. It gives me something to long for. But what I long for now is him. A cute, adorable pet with his own set of reactions. I long for the both of you together. Just imagine, two heartless fools caught by the moon, under my control. Isn't that wonderful?" Xemnas pressed his head to the wolf's. He breathed in in the scent of his pet's musk that reminded him of of the forest ground; leaves and mud tangled in wet fur. He shuddered.

Saix closed his eyes. The gloved fingers rubbing his ears, the gentle breath gliding under his nose that smelled of cold pavement, the silver bangs brushing against his forehead tickling him so. He felt like a pet being coaxed by his owner into doing something he was too scared to do. So rare was it to have Xemnas treating him like this; and he loved the feeling of it. He leaned closer to to the touch and was rewarded by a hand combing through his blue hair. "Superior... If you wish..."

"Thank you." Xemnas didn't need to have him finish his sentence. He knew well that gentle caresses earned him his way faster than brutality. He only choose brute force because it was more fun. "You're such a good boy." His lips lightly touched the brim of Saix's nose. "We will go for him together."

"But... I will be turning as well..."

"You stay sane for some time, do you not? Plenty of time to help bring him back here. Okay?" He gave a light tug on the blue hair in his hold, as a sign to not try and deny him.

"Yes... of course." Saix sighed and closed his eyes. The moon had risen more; his body gave a shudder. His arms wrapped around Xemnas. He held on to his Superior. A scared puppy begging to the one he looked up to to make things better.

* * *

Since the Pride Land incident Demyx had remained silent, locked in his room only answering to Axel and Marluxia. He barely wanted to eat, especially anything with meat. Seeing the pieces of meat offered to him brought flashes of the antelope running from him, the blood seeping from the tears to its hide, the bones crunching from the power of his jaw, and his belly full of the raw meat; it made Demyx gag each time. He could never unsee the blood on his paws, his hands.

"Demyx it wasn't your fault." Marluxia had said. "Something made you act like that... being an animal who knows when any of us would have done that."

"Dem come on, don't be like this." Axel had sighed.

Nothing they said would help him out of his rut. Demyx pulled his knees closer. He was wide awake unable to fall asleep. He felt so restless tossing and turning on his bed, heeven tried sleeping on the floor to no avail. His eyes just wouldn't close and his mind rest. That morning he woke nothing had felt right. He had a constant migraine that made even the little light of the world of darkness hurt his eyes. His appetite was even less; not even the wraps Marluxia has been making him seemed appetizing. He didn't want to do anything. All he wanted to do was curl up and sleep but he couldn't even do that! He groaned and thumped his head back on the bed.

"Why do I feel so horrible today? I haven't done anything... and that's normal..." He slumped further down on the floor. He looked over to his clock."It's almost eleven..." He gave a frustrated sigh. "I want to sleep, not suffer from my own mind. Is that so much to ask?" He asked the ceiling. "Guess so..." Another sad sigh to add to the many of that night.

The digital clock turned to eleven. Demyx lurched over hugging his stomach. A sharp pain was going through him. Sharp like a blade piercing through him. Rocks falling over him in heavy piles. A seething pain like the night he was attacked.

"Nnn...mn... ahh..." Demyx forced himself to sit up but he fell back on his stomach. "Ahag!" His body was shaking. "Wh-what's happening...?" He had never felt something this painful before. He had to find help. He tried to stand, he swayed and fumbled to stay up. Hunched over in pain Demyx tried to walk to the shared bathroom. If he could get to Axel maybe his friend could find help. He screamed at a sharp pain.

Water started to drip around the room. Puddles formed quickly out of Demyx's control. Demyx stopped with his hand outstretched to to the door. He was shaking harder; he could barely control his movements. His eyes were blurring with stinging tears. More drops of water came in rapid floods. There was a heavy hounding thumping going on in his head. He only heard that. He couldn't hear the water or his his cries of pain. In one jolt of pain that sent everything spinning he opened a dark portal. He had no idea why he opened it, but he bolted through it. Once the portal was closed the water stopped. Everything was silent again.

"Saix, did you see that!" Xemnas was excited. Before the hour had changed he and Saix had arrived at Demyx's door. He opened the door a crack to watch the Nocturne's change. The cries of pain and suffering were delicious, the fleeing was unexpected. "Saix!"

Saix hadn't seen a thing; he was experiencing his own change. His hair was already growing long and shaggy and his long black nails had had dug in to the wall. He growled at his own jab of pain.

"Beautiful." Xemnas said with deep awe. He reached to touch the long locks of blue. "Him in agony and you enraged. I'm loving this combination already." He kissed the hair and opened his own portal. "Come. I sensed where he went." Xemnas plucked Saix's claws from the wall and, holding the hands so the nails pressed to his palm, lead Saix through a portal.

* * *

Demyx thrashed in pain, gasping sharp breaths and kicking up sand. His blue tail fin pound down hard on the sea floor. His back arched at yet another horrible pain, his fin never stopping it's flail to mix sand with water. He had no idea why he came to Atlantica;the pain was worse.

"Aaaaaaaah!" His body shook like he was having a seizure. He held his eyes shut tight and screamed louder than he ever had before.

"Saix his screams are wonderful!" Xemnas watched the pained merman with glee, his own black and silver fin wagging. Saix next to him meanwhile was continuing his painful change; the water biome did nothing to slow or aide him, just made it worse.

"S-superior I can't!" There was too much pressure around Saix. He felt like he was was going to be crushed. "I-I'll be back in the room!" He opened a dark portal around him with a groan and teleported away.

"Saix! Oh that mutt is going to be punished." Xemnas hissed.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Demyx gave one loud cry, his back at a sharp arch then went still. The sand settled and the current he had stirred calmed. Xemnas looked to the now silent Nocturne; he had passed out. Xemnas swam over to the still Nobody. He was motionless, like he had been sleeping the night through. Xemnas cautiously reached out to touch the slow waving hair. Demyx didn't stir.

"Hm… no reaction… wonder if it has to do with the transformation." Xemnas took the younger Nobody up in his arms, still no reaction. Not even his fin moved, only the faint sway from the ocean's currents swayed it. "We should head back, Saix must be Full Berserker by now." A cloud of dark swayed around them like the kicked up sand. It enclosed the two Nobodies and took them from Atlantica back to the World That Never Was.

The portal took them to Xemnas' room. They were greeted by the snarl of the Full Moon Berserker. Though he looked different than he usually did during this state. His hair was longer, going further down his back to his waist with even more shag to it. Not only his canine stuck out from his lips but the tip points of his top teeth as well, and his nails had a sharper point to them. He hunched over and snarled at the portal, his bright eyes narrowing.

"Oh Saix do knock that off. We have company." Xemnas grinned as the portal disappeared. "Though I'm not sure why he's…." Xemnas trailed off. He had looked down at Demyx and was surprised. He knew the new pack member was going to have some new features to him, but scales going from his cheeks down to his neck, finned ears and hands, and not to mention the long tail fin hanging limp behind him. He looked like a sea creature of myth. Still unconscious though. "Saix, look at him."

Saix growled. His nostrils stung with the strong scent of salt and fish. The creature his master carried felt odd, different, like him. He wanted to tear it to shreds. He clicked his nails with the building want.

Xemnas went over to his bed and sat with the Nocturne in his lap. "Is this what water looks like touched by the full moon?" He slipped of a glove and touched the scales along Demyx's jawline. They felt soft against the pads of his fingers, different than what he thought scales would feel. He was hesitant but passed a finger over one of Demyx's fin ears. They twitched from the disturbance in a rather cute flutter. "Heh. How adorable. Saix isn't he?"

Saix snarled. He didn't like this cuddling one bit. He moved closer to Xemnas and his lunar partner. He sniffed over him; his wet tongue curved over his lips. One bite would be all it would take to claim him. He especially wanted to bite down on the blue tail fin laying limp across the bed. Like a fresh fish from the sea. Saix leaned closer only to have a palm shoved in his face.

"Ah, not too close. If he wakes up to your face it would terrify him." Xemnas held the Nocturne closer.

Saix huffed. His master would be a problem when it comes to getting close to the fish. He sat back and watched with a cold, hungry stare. Soon he would have his chance.

Xemnas pat the soft mullet. It, like with Saix's hair, had grown longer and also seemed to have gained some height and volume to it. Demyx's bangs fell in more of a mess over his eyes. To Xemnas he looked more adorable than usual. He needed him to wake.

"Little Nocturne, wake for me." Xemnas purred in Demyx's webbed ear. No reaction other than the ear flutter. "Little Nocturne you can't sleep all three days, we need to have a proper meeting." Xemnas waited; nothing. "Nine, my patience is short with my pets." His voice was stern this time. Still nothing, except for the unconscious shift in position. "Hm… this change must be more of a shock to him than I anticipated. Will you sleep all three days? Saix you weren't like this when you first changed. You were wild."

Saix growled. He didn't care what his master was saying, he wanted to tear in to the fish he was holding so close. It was irritating.

Xemnas sighed and lay back on the bed hugging Demyx over him. He continued petting the soft mullet. "I'll allow you to sleep this one night. But you had better be awake for the other two. I want the fun I invested in. Saix come up here, he's not enough warmth. In fact, he's rather cold. He is so different from you. I love it." Xemnas grinned.

Saix glared. He climbed up on the bed. Seeing his master on his back cuddling the fish built up his urges more. He leaned over them, his teeth bared. He was ready to bite when again he was stopped by a hand to the face.

"Saix, not tonight. Save it for his initiation." Xemnas reached up and pulled Saix down hard by his hair.

Demyx was sandwiched between them much to Saix's discomfort. He'd smell like fish for nights on end. He felt arms wrap around his waist. Xemnas was making sure the wolf couldn't move. A yawn declared it was time to settle for the night. He could sleep but Saix would stay awake, waiting, planning for the right moment.

Xemnas was the first to wake the next morning. He woke earlier than he wanted to because an odd sound had stirred him from his peaceful sleep. Panting. Heavy pained panting coming from quite close to him. Demyx was still unconscious, but he was clinging to Xemnas' cloak panting and sweating.

"Saix, wake up." Xemnas shoved the sleeping wolf off them.

Saix woke with a jolted snarl. He lashed out at whatever had touched him catching Xemnas across the arm.

"Hck! Saix now is not the time! Something is wrong with him." Xemnas ignored the blood coming from the slash to his arm and instead paid attention to the panting Nocturne. He sat up so Demyx's head rested in his lap. He turned his head side to side in his palms. "His scales don't feel right. They were soft last night, now they feel brittle. I wonder…" He reached down to Demyx's tail. Fins were slimy from the moisture, he knew from his own experience in Atlantica, but Demyx's tail fin was dry. "He needs water. Makes sense I suppose… I should have planned for this. Saix watch him, I'll return." Xemnas gently placed Demy'x head on a pillow and teleported out.

Saix looked over to Demyx at the closure of the dark portal. The fish was weaker, it was his chance now. He moved over him licking his lips. He leaned down and tasted the scales on his cheek. He shook his head and spat. Disgusting. Pure taste of salt that made his tongue curl. Taking a bite of the weak one was going to be harder thanks to this taste. He ran a nail down the length of his body and tail. His body was soft but the tail was thick; he was almost tempted to use the tail to chew on. Demyx took a sharp breath making Saix's pointed ears flick. He guessed the fish was getting weaker. He grinned wickedly. He leaned down to the Nocturne's neck forcing himself to ignore the taste as he ran his tongue over the dry scales. His teeth were just pressed to the soft throat when he heard a portal open.

"Saix, what are you doing?" Xemnas yanked Saix back by the back of his hair. "I told you to watch him, not eat him. That comes later. Now move." He shoved Saix to the side and set down a bucket of water. With caution he lifted Demyx's tail-fin and set the end of it in the bucket and, using a wet sponge, patted up along the tail and visible scales. "This seems to be working, at least his breathing has calmed down. To think he'd need water like this. There has to be a downfall somewhere I suppose." Xemnas continued to rehydrate the Nocturne while being watched with a dark glare by the feral wolf. "He should be fine now." Xemnas stood. "But I'll leave his fin in the bucket to avoid another near dehydration."

Saix lunged forward without warning. The sponge fell with a wet plop to the ground. Orange eyes met mad yellow eyes in a cold silence. Neither Nobodies moved in their ominous quiet, both daring the other to move first. Saix took the first move. He bent the arm he clutched tightly by his nails up to his face; the blood was still seeping from the earlier lash at it. He licked his lips. Casting a glance to the still silent Superior first he then pressed his tongue to the blood going down the arm. The burning feeling of the darkness that made up this blood was an addiction to him. He licked up the trail of the running blood savoring each lick, building his hunger more till he was at the wound. No time was spared pushing his tongue against it forcing it to open more and release more of the darkened blood for him to have. Xemnas finally made a sound of reaction when the wolf's sharp fangs dug in to the arm.

"Saix…" Xemnas said lowly. The Lunar was sucking his arm now trying to take more blood down his throat. "Saix… ack!" Nails had found their way to his waist. The Lunar was being persistent. Xemnas looked over to Demyx, he didn't seem like he was going to wake soon. He pulled his arm away from the abuse. "The desk, since the bed is occupied." The Lunar replied with a wide grin. Finally. "His friends should be wondering where he is by now." Xemnas went over to the front of his desk with a yawn. "The distraction should be finding itself to them. It should keep them from worrying about him for a while." Xemnas started to chuckle but was cut short with a gasp from being slammed on the desk and teeth sinking in to his shoulder.

* * *

"…"

"…"

Blue eyes stared in to cold green ones. Emerald coloured ones darted between the two nervously. A tense aura was starting to build in the middle of the hall that easily warned other members of the Organization to not even go near the silent confrontation. For twenty minutes the three Nobodies have been like this. Axel tried to say something once but the sharp glares he received shut him up enough to not try that again. He remained in his own silence watching the exchange between the other two Nobodies. Marluxia was the first to speak.

"I do hope what you are saying is a joke."

"Nope." With a brush of her hand and the roll of her eyes Larxene replied in her usual cold way. "It's an official mission."

The morning had gone from odd to sour. Odd since Demyx was void from his room earlier than was normal from him. Sour since, as they went looking for Demyx, they ran in to a snarky Larxene holding up a mission order for the three of them. No worse a faith then being sent on a mission with the witch of the Organization, especially one that required back to back day attention.

"I refuse to do this." Marluxia continued denying the mission order. Marluxia would be the last person to deny a mission order, but one that involved partnering with Larxene was a different story. The both of them had a hard time getting along, more so than other members. Maybe it had partially to do with their attitudes being a clash to one another's. Or maybe because they were both drama queens.

"You can't refuse what the Superior ordered. You want to be a Dusk? Actually, I want you to be one." Larxene smirked.

Marluxia grit his teeth. "Listen witch-"

"Guys… this is going no where…" Axel risked trying to interrupt their arguments again. He wasn't fond of Larxene either, but he was also not fond of this back and forth arguing gradually adding more and more tension. "Can't we conclude we hate each other and get the mission over with?"

"No!" Both Nobodies snapped at him.

"It was just a suggestion…"

"I don't need any suggestions from a flame head with the hots for a shrimp." Larxene snorted.

"I don't have the hots for him! He's just my friend!" Axel snapped quickly.

"Oh riiight. How did you know who I was talking about hm?"

"I... look witch-"

"Now you two are doing it!" Marluxia groaned and rubbed his head. "I hate this. Of all the Nobodies… okay… this is what we'll do. We'll-"

"You two will sit down and shut up like good little boys and listen to what I say, when I say it, how I say it. The only way anything will get done with you two is if someone competent is in charge to keep you from ruining a simple objective, got it? So no more complaints and lets do this." She snapped her fingers opening a portal for them. "Ugh the pink boy and water lover. I could have spent this time for me." Larxene continued her complaining as she went through the portal first.

"I'm not a water lover…" Axel growled.

"Don't let her attitude get to you. She feeds off negative mojo." Marluxia sighed heavy. "I'm going to get a migraine after this…"

"Can I let you handle this alone? The Dwarf Woodlands is a creepy place enough without the extra witch…"

"No. You're going to suffer with me. I still can't use my abilities so the best I can do right now is think tactics. Or do you want to add more for Larxene to taunt you with?"

"… He's just my best friend honestly…" Axel huffed and went through the portal followed by a smirking Marluxia.

"About time you two showed up." Larxene was sitting on a stump singing falling leaves with sparks of her electricity. "I hate nature, it's nothing but a lifeless nuisance." She zapped at another falling leaf giving a curved smirk at Marluxia, who was trying his best not to react to her taunts.

"Lets find the castle to this realm and clear the boss Heartless from it before it ruins more of this place." Marluxia walked down the forest path not giving Larxene the satisfaction of responding to her.

"Oh someone's responsible." She hoped from the stump and followed. She glanced back to Axel. He kept his gaze ahead away from her direction. She grinned. This mission might actually be fun for her.

* * *

Xemnas woke with a start some hours later. His body was sore and torn to pieces. He was still bent over the desk where the heated event of the day had started. The blood that had spilled from the open wounds on his back was now dried and glued him in his current position. He tried to move and cried out. The pain was horrid; much to his liking but he had wanted to stay in a moving condition for the three days.

"Ah… I think I let Saix restrain himself too long… one night and he does this…" A havy sigh passed the dried lips of the Superior. The silence around him was nice to relax to the subsiding pain. There was silence around him. Xemnas looked up, to the best of his current ability, to see an empty room. No Saix. And no Nocturne. "Oh no... where are they?"

Xemnas pushed himself to stand ignoring the sharp pains in his back. He was sure he was bleeding again but that wasn't the important issue currently. The missing Lunar and unconscious Nocturne was. With stumbling steps he made his way down the steps of his desk to his bed. No evidence showed where they went,the only trace evidence being his own blood staining the bed in streaks where he knew the Nocturne was and the Lunar must have picked him up. Xemnas winced at another twinge of pain. He shook his head and made to open a portal.

"I wouldn't push it if I were you." A chilly voice spoke.

"...Four..." Xemnas lowered his hand. From the corner of the room Vexen stood with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. How he had not noticed the presence of the other must be due to the pain muddling his senses.

"You look horrid. I warned you not to let him roam around loose." Yes he feared his Superior, but he loathed being ignored most and didn't care who he was scolding then. "You can barely summon the energy to open a portal."

"Watch your tone, Four." Xemnas threatened with a cold tone of his own. "I don't have the time to put up with your nonsense, I have to-"

"Find the mad Lunar? Yes I know, why do you think I'm here?"

Xemnas stayed quiet.

Vexen snorted. "I knew you'd ignore my warning, so I watched this room. And what do you know, I caught a mad animal in my ice."

"How nice of you to show concern. If you caught him then-"

"Oh that's not all of it, he was carrying something rather curious. A certain young Nobody." Vexen looked next to him. Leaning, still unconscious, against the wall was Demyx. He was calm, his ears flicking on occasion and his tail fin curled around him. "I can't believe it worked, and changed his form."

Xemnas went to Demyx quickly. He had been worried Saix did something to him. Holding the sleeping face in his palms and rubbing the scales on his cheeks was soothing. "There you are little pet." He cooed.

"Superior, I can't believe you went through with this."

"I don't want to hear anything from you."

"I'm not saying it as a negative, I'm actually quite curious of him. The Lunar is one thing since the moon is his power, but one who's element is naturally influenced by the full moon reacting the same, I never would have expected."

"Hm. Says the mad scientist? When I want something I want it. And I got something better than i ever anticipated. Just look at this result. He's like a mermaid."

"More like a fish out of water. While you were unconscious I looked him over."

"Who gave you permission to-"

"Do you want to know what I found out of not?"

Xemnas sighed. "Very well."

"Good. As I was saying he is a fish out of water. From what I analyzed he can stay out of water for some time but he will need to soak at least his tail every couple of hours or he will dry up. Also, he won't be waking up these days."

"What?" Xemnas near growled.

"I don't know all the details of his change, but his body is in shock. He won't be waking till the end of the full moon I am assuming when the shock leaves his body. The better I think. If he had woken quickly I would have thought him to be odder than the Lunar."

Xemnas scowled. If what Vexen was saying was true he wouldn't have his new pet at his whim till potentially the next month. "I have to wait another month to have him awake?"

"If it doesn't shock his body again. Otherwise every full moon he'll be like this."

"I can't have this!" Xemnas snapped. "I risked turning him in to this so I can have two moon pets. If he will only be like this there is no point. I might as well have only kept Saix."

Vexen sighed. "You could train him."

Xemnas looked to the Chilly Academic. "Pardon?"

"It's obvious this change is new to Nine and his body, unlike Seven who took to it naturally he might need more training. Send him on missions that help trigger the lunar half in him, even pair him with the mad wolf to better their bonds. It could possible help. Possibly. There are no promises."

Xemnas looked to Demyx. He passed his thumb over the fin like ears. "I can arrange that. I want him awake. I want to see how he is like this. I want my pet no matter what."

Vexen watched his Superior caress the Nocturne. He knew Xemnas was odd but this obsession was something out of control. He sighed. "If you are so insistent on it. I warn you again but it's most likely wasted air."

Xemnas was no longer paying attention. He had pulled Demys to him so he could pet the soft mullet mane. "Soon... I will make it possible..."

Vexen stood without another word and made to leave.

"Four." Xemnas stopped him. "Where is Saix." He leaned against the wall with Demyx against his chest still petting him.

"Frozen. In my lab. It will be better for you if he remained there for now. Concentrate on keeping Nine moist and you from bleeding out. I will thaw him out in the morning after the third night." Vexen left with those final words.

"Hmph. It will be boring without Saix. Ah, well, at least I have you." Xemnas ran a hand over Demyx's slick tail fin. "Next month, after some proper training, I will give you a proper introduction to this pack. You'll love it. Saix and I will give you the best time of your life." Xemnas chuckled dark and held the sleeping Nocturne close. "An amazing time, each month."

* * *

AN: Hello my lovely readers~! I am alive! Ahhhh college and then I went to an Anime Expo and now I'm sick! But I've been writing. Slowly but it's coming along. I wanted to update this fic as soon as possible! No excuses no anything just providing entertainment for my readers who have been waiting patiently for me to update. I have more planned for this and for future fics, and for the ones I have currently going I still need to update (aahhh!) so much writing but it is what I love to do because I love seeing how my works affects those who read them. As for what happened in this fic, I thought it would have been boring if Demyx was awake during his first change, and I wanted to try my hand at writing Larxene. Let me know what you guys think and thanks for reading my babble! Love to my lovely readers~!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts


	6. Side Effects Begin

Xemnas carried Demyx cradled in his arms careful not to drag his delicate fin on the floor. The third night was almost over, the sun in the human world ready to break over the horizon. Xemnas took it upon himself to take the young Nocturne back to his room before he woke. If he rose while still in the company of the Superior he'd be sure to have a panic attack. Xemnas let out a soft sigh. He was going to miss having the cute water nymph to himself.

"I do hope you are awake next month. As adorable as you are like this I would much rather have you awake. If your personality changes like Saix does I want to see that." He shifted Demyx as he opened the door to the Nocturne's room. He felt no fear at being caught. He knew the fiery Flurry was still gone on the missions he had set up with the pink Assassin. Not to mention he knew his Organization well; no one woke early.

He sat Demyx on the bed with a soft sigh. He felt almost sad having to take him back. He ran a hand through the longer and softer mullet. Demyx shifted in his sleep curling on his side, his fin wrapping around his legs and wagging just the slightest. Xemnas chuckled at that.

"If Saix had a tail it'd add more to the beast that he is. Dreams. But it makes you special." Xemnas looked to the window. Kingdom Hearts was rising. "I should go before you see me." He leaned down close to Demyx's ear. "Next month, I'll come for you again." His lips pressed to Demyx's ear gently before he parted. "It'll be fun." He chuckled darkly.

A portal opened around Xemnas taking him from the room. It didn't take him to his room, no, the aim was instead outside the frozen doors of Vexen's lab. Xemnas had something he needed to pick up. He touched the cold, thick ice doors. How the Academic has enough power to make this unmelting doors and yet refuses to do any actual mission work is beyond him. Actually it isn't. His thoughts are only on experiments, which helps in its own way to the Organization's ultimate goal. The problem now is getting in this impregnable room to take back what is his.

"If you try and break my door I will not forgive you, even if you are my Superior." A chilled tone reaches Xemnas' ears. He had been wrong about no one being awake early in the Organization. Though in retrospect he didn't count Vexen in many situations.

"If you try and harm me you will regret it." Xemnas didn't look away from the lab doors. "I want what is mine what which you have kept from me."

"For all a good reason." Vexen stayed at a distance refusing to approach Xemnas or his own lab. He knew what Xemnas wanted. But he didn't want to give it to him. He still needed to find out more. "I want to keep him longer."

"I refuse." Xemnas instantly denied. "You do not own him."

"Neither do you."

"He's more mine that anyone else's." Xemnas growled. "Open these doors and thaw him out. The days are over. He should be perfectly fine now."

"Do you not understand? That barbaric wolf is nowhere near fine. Even if the full moon leaves him it still lingers. That hasn't happened before. At least not this bad. I want to test why his attitude is changing as it is. If it has anything to do with the Nocturne you had cursed."

"Four open these doors. Now." Xemnas' tone took a dark one. He noticed the way Vexen's stance faltered but quickly recovered. Neither wanted to give in to the other.

"As a scientist I cannot until I figure this out." Vexen persisted besides the building fear he tried to hold back.

"As my underling you will do as I command before I return you to the darkness that has so graciously gifted you with the life you're risking!" Xemnas snapped. His patience was almost gone. If it was then his Ethereal Blades would have pierced through the annoying ice man by now. A deep breath rolled out from Vexen's throat.

"Very well. I warned you but if you wish to ignore it for selfish reasons I have no choice but to comply." The Academic approached his ice lab doors. He pressed his hand to them and with only a blink an outline of a normal sized door carved into the ice. The door swung inward with a groan, a blast of cold air hitting the two Nobodies.

"Cold as ever."

"For good reason." Vexen walked in first followed by his grumbling Superior.

Xemnas looked around with annoyance. Test tubes and vials of who knows what experiment disinterested him. He was looking for what was his. He finally landed his hungry orange eyes on him. Frozen in a large block of thick ice was the Berserker. He looked furious, ready to attack. His lips were curled over his pointed teeth, claws held out forward, his brow furrowed with his snarl, even his hair was in a wave behind him showing he was in motion when he was frozen. Xemnas shuddered. He was in awe. Saix looked amazing like this, caught in the moment he is most fierce. Xemnas was almost tempted to keep him as is.

"Superior?"

"Hm?" Xemnas didn't look away from the frozen beast.

"I said it would be wise of you to stay back before I unfreeze him. He was in mid attack-"

"I see it. He looks terrifying. Horrifyingly splendid."

"Right… he'll attack once he thaws. I'm not sure how he'll react once the fact that the full moon is gone hits him." Vexen went behind the ice block. If Xemnas wanted to get caught in the attack that was his choice, he'd rather stay in one piece. "One last chance to step away."

"I'm perfectly fine where I am." Xemnas answered remaining in his place next to Saix.

Vexen shook his head. He wished he could take a look in to the Superior's head. Only one touch of his hand to the ice and it melted. Slowly in dripping water flows the ice gave way. The furthest outstretched hand twitched first. His nails clicked the same chime that brought his own savage grin to the Superior's face. He watched the ice peel away inch by inch up the built arms, down from the top of his head. His hair fell in a soft flutter once freed from the ice against his cold back. Vexen pulled his hand back when the ice was melted down to his waist.

"Why did you stop?" Xemnas asked with a hiss to his tone.

"If he does lose it at least he will be restrained." Vexen cleared.

"Thaw him out completely." Xemnas ordered.

"No."

"Four."

A low growl stopped their fight. Fierce and feral, hungry. The air was choked out of Xemnas by an arm wrapped tightly around his neck. Saix growl by his ear made him tremble along with his need for air. The Berserker held him pinned to his chest in a choking death hold; he pressed his nails to Xemnas' forehead right to his temple. Xemnas didn't struggle aside from gripping the sleeve of the arm choking him. Vexen shook his head.

"This is what I warned you about."

"Don't… interrupt…" Xemnas wheezed out. He turned his head the best he could to meet eyes with the woken wolf. "Saix… now's… not the time…. To be rude… ah…" Xemnas choked out another breath when Saix tightened his hold. Saix wasn't listening. He was confused. One moment he was in Xemnas' room about to bite in to the fish's tail and the next he sensed the annoying winter man and lunged. Now he was in this cold room with his lower half frozen but his Master right in arm reach. He would have what was his. He parted his mouth, licking his fangs in preparation to bite. He knew he wouldn't struggle. The warmth he wanted was in his reach shuddering, choking for breath and longing for the bite just as he was to bite him.

Pain hit him. Hot searing pain starting from between his eyes going down his spine. He howled releasing Xemnas in a harsh throw to the ground. His hands tangled in his long shags of hair falling over his face; his nails pierced down in to his scalp. He was blinded by red joined in with black spots jumping out at him. Sharp ringing was all he heard. He knew he was howling with pain but he couldn't hear it. With a sharp jerk of his body the rest of the ice cracked in to shards forced to launch across the cold lab breaking anything that got in their way. He was on the floor hunched over drenched in cold sweat screaming non-stop. His eyes were glowing and wide opened in horror. He was on fire. He couldn't be. The room was made of ice. But everything burned. Stung. He had no idea what had him so suddenly. He cried out in a sharp pitch and collapsed.

Xemnas sat up and brushed his bangs back. "I assume that is what you meant by reacting to the full moon being gone?"

"I didn't expect it to be this intense." Vexen crouched next to the heavy breathing Berserker. "I don't like how intense these changes are getting."

"So what of it? He changes back as usual." Xemnas rubbed his neck as he stood. He'd have a bruise starting there for sure.

"He does, but have you not noticed how intense his changes have become? He was wild when he first started but even then, it was mellow compared to this. I believe the reason being the newest creation of yours." Vexen had an accusing tone to his.

"The Nocturne is just a new pet."

"It doesn't matter what he is, it was a mistake is what it is. Having two lunar creatures in such tight quarters is an opening to unforeseen events! Seven is losing more of his control and whatever results will happen to Nine we don't even know yet! What you did was selfish even for you-ack!" Red blades were pressed dangerously close to Vexen's throat. He swallowed, bobbing his Adam's apple; it just barely brushed over the hot darkness blades.

"Control. You. Tone." Xemnas said menacingly. His orange eyes were dark, almost red, threatening Vexen to move, continue his outburst, daring to make a fool of his Superior. Vexen stayed silent, frozen ironically. Xemnas pulled back his blades when he was sure not to hear lip from the Academic again. "Saix can very well control himself. Now if you excuse me." He dismissed his weapons and pulled the unconscious Saix up. He was looking more like himself again. Only his teeth were still in Berserker mode. "I will take him back to his room where he can rest off the shock turning back." With no more an exchange and the closure of a dark portal Xemnas left the startled but still furious Academic to clean the mess of his lab.

* * *

Demyx woke with a soft yawn. He had slept wonderfully. It was a dreamless sleep but that made it all the more calming. He sat up and rubbed his eyes to rid them of the crust that stung when he blinked. He yawned again popping his jaw in a soothing way.

"Mm… what time is it?" He looked to the clock on his nightstand. Ten in the morning. Wow he had slept longer than usual. Usually Axel or Marluxia would wake him before he had a chance to sleep as late as he did. Maybe they had overslept themselves. With another yawn he slid from his bed and collapsed. "Ow… my legs feel numb… what did I do last night?" Demyx scratched his head. He didn't recall doing anything strange. He couldn't fall asleep and was sitting against his bed. But he had just woken up from such a refreshing sleep. "Maybe I passed out at some point and Axel threw me in bed. Would explain why I'm still in my cloak." Demyx reasoned to himself. He stood up slower this time and, once he felt his feet again, went to the shared bathroom. He needed a shower and a clean cloak.

Refreshed and feeling better for once Demyx knocked on Axel's door. "Hey Axel, you still asleep?" He listened for his answer, which he didn't get. "Axel?" He let himself in the room. The room looked unslept in. "Huh… maybe he left and let me sleep." He shrugged. His stomach growled then. "Urk… I'm starving… feels like I haven't eaten for days…" He left the room hugging his stomach. Something felt odd to him. He had an amazing dreamless sleep, Axel wasn't around, and he was starving. He reasoned to himself that it was probably a result of how he had been feeling since the Pride Land incident; he had been letting his health dwindle from remorse. But now he didn't feel anything bad about it. It felt like, nothing so to put it. Demyx frowned. More confusing things.

"Damn it I am done with you!"

A voice caught Demyx's attention. An angry annoyed one he was familiar with. He sighed and followed the outburst.

"Oh is that so? Just can't get enough of me can't you?"

Demyx stopped once that cold airy voice hit him. How he hated that voice.

"Listen you-"

"Axel, relax. I'm tired of hearing you two argue!"

"Marly too?" Demyx muttered to himself hearing Marluxia's own angry tone join the fray. He continued his way ignoring the nagging feeling to go the other way.

Around the corner the three arguing Nobodies stood facing each other in a triangle. Larxene had a smirk curved on her conniving face while the other two looked ready to murder. Demyx couldn't blame them. She was a witch. Whatever they were arguing about it must have hit a soft spot, more so in Axel by the way his shaking fists were twitching to hit something.

"It wouldn't be an argument if flame boy here wasn't so sensitive." Larxene dismissively waved her hand Axel's way, adding more to his rage.

"I am not sensitive! You don't know when to shut up!" Axel was quick to reply. Seems they must have been doing this back and forth for quite some time but the way Marluxia pinched the brim of his nose in annoyance.

"Look we finished this mission. We're done. Don't have to see each other unless by chance. So we'll go our separate ways now and you two can stop fighting now." Marluxia tried to keep his voice calm.

"Hah! Oh that's an amusing idea. If only it were possible." She was persistent. Demyx frowned. He hated her since the moment they first met, even if he did try to be nice. He dropped his act once her cruelness shone through.

Demyx growled under his breath. He blinked. Growling? That was different. He knew he hated her but to a point of growling? Maybe he had some more resentment to her than he thought. When he looked back to the three he froze. Larxene was looking at him. She was grinning darker than she was before. If she had heard him growl then she's more than a witch, she's a demon. She moved faster than he could run and before he could have his back turned a fist of knives was pressed to his throat.

"Demyx!" Axel called out with worry and anger. He saw that Larxene had moved. He didn't know to what till she had Demyx pinned against a wall with her knives threatening to slit his throat.

"Look what I caught, just the very reason we were fighting." Larxene cooed sweetly. Were it any other female it wouldn't have made Demyx shiver as it did.

"Damn witch let him go!" Axel demanded. Now his fists were on fire.

Larxene laughed sickly at that. "I love this reaction. And you kept saying you weren't obsessed with him."

"He's my damn friend! Stop being such a bitch!"

Larxene pressed her knives closer to Demyx. "If I were to make him bleed, would you burn this place down I wonder?" Her whisper beckoned the challenge. Axel's eyes narrowed. His arms were raised ready to summon his chakrams but stopped wide eyed.

"Ack!" Larxene was thrown back by a hard kick to her stomach.

It was fast at first but now as she fell time seemed to slow. She fell on her back in a hard thump. Demyx had a deep frown on his face; he brought his leg down slow and straightened his pose with a single movement. He watched Larxene cough for breath and screech profanities at him without even a flinch. His eyes looked to have gone cold. A sneer crawled on his face. He was enjoying watching Larxene come down from the pain. She finally stood, flipped him off and stormed down the hall in a sparking fury. Demyx smirked then looked back to his shocked friends. Both were wide eyed and mouth agape. Demyx had actually defended himself in a brutal way, and looked to have enjoyed it. Demyx's eyes blinked back to normal but clouded with confusion.

"What?"

Axel and Marluxia looked to each when they recovered. "Um… Demyx?" Marluxia questioned first.

"Yeah?" Demyx was confused to their looks.

"Demyx… do you… um… have any idea what you just did?" Axel asked.

Demyx tilted his head. "Larxene was about to slice my throat so I defended myself. Why? Would you rather have had her kill me?"

"No of course not!" Axel didn't want Demyx to get the wrong idea. "It's just, the way you did it."

Demyx shrugged. "It was either that or get stabbed." His stomach growled. "I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat yeah? Then you guys can tell me where you went so early." Demyx walked past them with his usual childlike smile.

Marluxia tapped his chin. "He was acting off, wasn't he?"

"Very. And I don't think he realizes how long we've been gone. Has he been asleep the entire time?" Axel started to follow Demyx with Marluxia following.

"With the stress he's had it would do him good to have slept as long as we were gone."

"He doesn't look so stressed anymore…" Axel frowned.

"What do you mean you've been gone for three days!?" Demyx yelped nearly spitting out his bite of food. Axel and Marluxia voted on a simple breakfast dish of eggs and pancakes but Demyx… wanted something a little fishier. Fish to be exact. Fish for breakfast wasn't normal in any sense but the fact that Demyx was eating was a plus so if he wanted fish, he could have fish. "Three days. I was asleep for three days. Wow." He took another bite from his fishy omelet.

"You haven't been sleeping right since… the thing. The fact you caught a wave of pleasant sleep is a miracle." Marluxia tried to encourage.

"Yeah I guess." Demyx shrugged. His mind was distracted then by his breakfast. He hadn't felt full in so long and he was lavishing in the warm feeling of fullness. He sighed with bliss ignorant of the stares his friends were giving him. "So you guys were forced on a mission with Larxene, which sounds terrible."

"Don't even mention it. She would not shut up the entire time about the dumbest things." Axel huffed. "I don't even know who put us together. Marly has no powers, and Larxene and I can't go two minutes without fighting. Saix probably did it just to annoy us."

"Saix?" Demyx stopped mid bite. "Saix." He felt like he should remember something but, the three days he had been asleep were nothing but blissful darkness. "Yeah. He must have done it to annoy you guys. At least I missed it otherwise I never would have gotten that wonderful sleep."

"Quiet and eat your weird omelet." Axel huffed.

"It's not weird! It's yummy." Demyx pouted and popped another fork of fish omelet in his mouth.

"Ugh."

"You quiet now." Demyx finished his meal and stood.

"Where are you going?" Marluxia asked.

"I have lots of energy from all that sleep, I need to burn it off somewhere." Demyx declared. "Want to come with me?"

"Depends on where you plan on going." Axel questioned.

"Pride Lands."

Both Axel and Marluxia dropped their forks. They were in shock yet again. Demyx was willing to go back to the world that sent him in to turmoil, at his own desire. Demyx arched a brow.

"What? It's the perfect place to run. You really get on all fours there." He beamed bright.

"Uh, yeah, sure… I'll go with you." Axel answered once coming back from his shock.

"Me too…" Marluxia answered.

"Great!" Demyx smiled even brighter. He was acting like he usually did but something was different, his friends could tell. "Better hurry or I'll leave without you." Demyx laughed and left the dining room in a sprint.

"Demyx!" Both friends called out together.

Demyx laughed as he ran. He felt so good! Whatever the sleep did for him he didn't want to question it. He ran to his room knowing his two friends would look for him there first. He didn't slow on his turn, which would have been a good idea to stop him from crashing in to a pissed off looking Berserker. He yelped and crashed on to his back in the bounce back.

"Ow… sorry-ah!"

Demyx froze under the scowl of the blue haired berserker. He wasn't just pissed, he was royally pissed off. His head throbbed, a ringing in his ears had no sign of leaving, his body ached, and he was irritated beyond belief. Having a cowardly Nobody crash in to him was the last thing he wanted. Demyx gulped. He couldn't move. He would run from Saix at moments like this, but he felt numb now. He didn't even flinch when the shadow of a hand cast over him. The hand clasped on his shoulder and brought him up hanging him high in the air.

"Nine…" Saix growled.

"I-I'm sorry!" Demyx apologized without taking a breath. "I didn't mean to-ack!" Nails dug in to his shoulder. "S-Saix…"

"You should be aware of how dangerous it is to make me even madder than I already am." Saix threatened. "Or do I have to remind you?"

Saix dug his nails in further. He wanted to bite him. He had him right here submitting to him. One snap of the neck, or maybe it'd be better to taste his sweet blood in a moment like this. He didn't care. His predator side wanted to murder his prey. He opened his mouth not to speak but to bite. He was stopped by a hand to his own shoulder.

"Seven, put down Nine." Xemnas' calm tone reached past the muddle of his fogged mind to his senses. "Do not take out your anger of how you feel on an innocent Nobody. As useless and ignorant as he is he doesn't deserve to suffer from your rage. Do you understand?"

Saix growled. He wanted to bite. He wanted to stay in control. Why was he having such a hard time staying in control after the moon wasn't full? He kept his glare on the shaking Nocturne in his hold. Him. The aura he was radiating threatened him. It beckoned him to a challenge. He was the only hunter. He would not settle for any other on his territory. He was a threat. He would remove the threat. But he couldn't. He was sane. He was in control. He would not murder someone for an uncalled for reason such as the ways of nature telling him so. Or rather, the way of the moon ordering him to fight for order. Saix took a deep breath and slowly, forcing his arm, set Demyx down on his feet.

"Release your hand, you're hurting him." Xemnas ordered, his voice still in a calm way.

Saix bit back a snarl. He dug his nails out one by one then pulled his hand back. That was another glove he had ruined. Demyx rubbed his arm; it stung. Xemnas looked to him.

"Run along before you make Seven even angrier. You were lucky I happened to be passing and fortunate I decided to help you. If it weren't for your abilities I would have let him kill you." Xemnas' tone shifted to him dominating, controlling one he used when addressing those bellow him other than Saix.

"R-right… thank you, Superior…" Demyx nodded and ran past them not even daring to look back in case Saix decided to come after him.

Xemnas watched the frightened water user leave before turning to the enraged wolf. "I warned you to control yourself. You're still having a reaction from the rapid shift from Berserker to back to you. If I hadn't interrupted you could have killed him." His voice was scolding.

Saix sneered. "I couldn't control myself."

"See that you learn how to. Having you go insane will not only reduce our numbers, but Four will have a field day with a never ending smug look I bet."

"I'll be fine around the others. It was just _him_." Saix growled. "I felt the want to attack him. I can't explain it… but it feels horrible."

Xemnas rolled his eyes. "Whatever puberty you are going through don't let it get in the way of my plans. I want the both of you, alive and in control. Next month he has to be awake. If he never wakes when he shifts this whole things will have been pointless." He jabbed his finger in Saix's chest. He was surprised by the growl he earned by that. "Hm. Though it is odd the way you are acting. If it helps maybe we'll see if Four can do anything about it. Might shut him up about Nine."

Saix sighed and rubbed his head. "Very well. We should go hand out the missions." Saix made to walk but was stopped by a strong arm holding his. He looked back in confusion at his Superior.

Xemnas grinned. "After we do that, I should brush your mane. It looks horrible. Well, you were asleep in ice for two nights." He chuckled remembering how majestic Saix had looked in his frozen mid attack pose.

"R-right, of course, Superior." Saix answered out of habit.

* * *

"What was wrong with him?" Demyx questioned back in the safety of his room. He was looking in a mirror at what Saix had done. Five small puncture wound tainted his tan skin. They didn't look bad but they stung if he moved in a wrong way. "He seemed out of it. Why was I scared though? More than usual…"

"Demyx!" Axel's voice brought him out of his stupor.

"Coming!" Demyx pulled his shirt back on and zipped his cloak up. He was met with a headlock when he left the bathroom. "Axel!"

"This is what you get for running!" Axel playfully sneered.

"Axel!" He thumped the arms holding him. His shoulder hurt but it was bearable amongst the fun.

Marluxia chuckled. "Okay before you hurt him. Let's go before we get saddled with another mission."

"Please." Axel released Demyx. He was ready to open a portal but the young Nobody beat him to it.

"Okay!" Demyx leapt through first leaving his friends in another cloud of confusion.

"I swear, he has the weirdest mood swings sometimes." Axel shook his head.

"Hey he's happy, lighten up." Marluxia followed suit in the leap. Axel sighed but mimicked them anyway.

In the Pride Lands Demyx as sniffing the air, his whiskers twitching and tail twitching. His senses were in overload. He wanted to run now. His nails dug in to the dirt below him with want. An audible purr escaped his throat. He shouldn't have wanted to come back here, but the fear and dread that was once associated with this world was gone. Now it was open space to run and burn the energy he had. If only his friends would hurry.

A pink lion soon jumped through the portal landing on graceful paws followed by a not as graceful red-brown lion stumbling to find his footing on his now four footed body. Demyx turned to them with a wide toothy grin. Finally. He could run across the Pride Lands, feel the wind that ravished the savannah and take in every scent this wild world had to offer them. He playfully growled to his lion friends bouncing from once side to the other as a playful kit would when practicing pouncing. Marluxia grinned his own sharp tooth smiled and crouched, accepting Demyx's request.

Demyx crouched as well, his tail flicking even more. Marluxia was bigger but he was faster. He jumped first like a bullet. He was right on top of him but a heavy weight stopped him. He hit the ground with a squeak. A rumbling laugh over him snapped him out of his daze. Axel was over him giving him a smirk that said "never said anything about no tag teaming". That was dirty, but a challenge. Demyx struggled under the leaner lion kicking at his under belly. Axel yawned to feign boredom, even going as far as sticking out his sandpaper tongue and curling it. Demyx pouted, as best as a cheetah could and gave in. Axel laughed his rumble laugh his lion body gave him and moved off of Demyx to let him roll over and stand.

Demyx snorted and swatted at Axel playfully careful to keep his claws retracted to not to hurt him. Axel rolled his eyes at the pathetic attack. Oh that stirred something in Demyx. Next thing he knew he was on his back looking up at sea green eyes and a smug snout. Demyx chirped his laugh and before Axel could even try to kick him off he had bolted from the scene. He didn't need to look back to know Axel was following. He could hear with his sensitive round ears the clumsy thudding of Axel's paws clomping over the ground after him. He could also distinguish Marluxia's more graceful thudding close behind too. It was a game of tag with a cheetah at the lead, for a minute at least. Plenty of time to find a hiding spot while he recovered for his next burst of keep away.

* * *

AN: Woo! I updated this one fast! I had a moment where I couldn't stop writing and this happened. Both Saix and Demyx are feeling the effects of each other and the lunar power going through them. I hope you're starting to enjoy the changes I'm giving Demyx. I have much more planned, trust me. I also have an idea for a little cute Axel centered fic I want to do after this one. I have so many fics I want to do... my brain is never dry I suppose! Until next time my lovely readers!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts


End file.
